Path of the Demon
by Kerisempai
Summary: A mysterious grave robbery, a last bid for vengeance, and a secret that could destroy all of them... Starling City hasn't gotten any quieter since Oliver Queen retired. Femslash.
1. Chapter 1

Laurel Lance leaned against the wall of her office, face turned toward the window. The lights and movement of Starling City blinked before her, hypnotizing in a way. Not unlike the ocean. The night was young, at least for her, barely ten o'clock. Not that Laurel expected much activity in the coming hours. She and Thea had worked out a schedule with John. They rotated. One night on coms, one night patrolling, and one night off. Tonight was Laurel's night off.

The sound of her cell vibrating on the desk pulled Laurel's attention away from the window.

Schedules were great, until someone needed backup.

"What's up Thea?" Laurel was already grabbing her bag and locking her office door behind her as she answered.

"John just found something you're going to want to see." Thea's voice was overly calm. "Gear up and meet us at the cemetery."

A weight of unease settled in Laurel's stomach. "Give me ten," she responded, ending the call.

Laurel didn't need to be told where exactly in the Starling City Cemetery Thea and John would be waiting. The two hooded figures stood on either side of Sara's tombstone, half in shadow, like sentries guarding her sister.

Laurel said nothing, simply waited for one of them to tell her why they were, yet again, gathered at Sara's grave.

"I noticed something earlier this week," John began. Crouching down he pointed to the base of the tombstone where it met the grass. "Do you see how far up the stone the ground is?"

Laurel moved closer and knelt next to John. "Okay?" she responded, not sure where he was going with this.

"It bothered me," John said. "Tombstones sink, but not this quickly. We buried her less than a year ago." He hesitated, giving the impression of shifting without actually moving.

"Whatever it is you're trying to tell me, spit it out already."

"Sara's body is gone," Thea spoke quietly. "We ran a radar scan."

"What do you mean her body is gone?" Laurel could hear the menace in her tone, but couldn't do anything to stop it.

"According to the ground penetrating radar that I ran tonight, all that's down there is dirt." John confirmed. "No body, no coffin, nothing."

Laurel took several deep breaths, trying to force a calm she didn't feel.

"We don't think this happened recently," Thea said. "The grass isn't new."

The feeling of dread she'd been fighting since Thea called surged. Laurel pulled out a knife and began digging near the headstone.

"Laurel?" Thea questioned.

Laurel ignored her. She continued to dig, plunging the knife through grass then dirt; dropping the knife when she felt the tip strike something metal. She pulled off her gloves and reached into the small hole. Her fingers brushed against the metal object. She pushed in further, using her nails to pry it loose.

"God damn it." In her hand, surrounded by dirt, lay a pewter canary figurine. The very same one she'd buried during her first visit to Sara's grave. "I put this here two days after we buried her."

"They took her before that," John stated the obvious.

Thea's red gloved hand reached out and clasp Laurel's, pressing the small bird between them.

"We will figure this out," John said.

"No," Laurel said, returning the pressure. "We're going to leave, and then I'm going to contact my father."

John gave her a puzzled look.

"I let him think Sara was dead when she wasn't. And I let him think she was alive when she was buried here." Laurel let go of Thea's hand and carefully tucked the canary into her pocket. "He gets the truth."

Laurel had taken the time to shower and change back into the clothes she'd been wearing earlier. Normal clothes. Work clothes. She had somehow hoped to put her father at ease. It seemed silly now that she stood in the station.

The door to Quentin Lance's office was open, but Laurel hesitated before walking in. His head was bent over a stack of reports, hand scribbling a surly illegible signature before moving on to the next. Laurel felt her heartbeat speed up and took a moment to square her shoulders. Their relationship, while no means back to normal, was at least somewhat stable at the moment. She really did not want to go back to cold silence and anger.

"Either come in or get the hell out of here," Quentin said without looking up. "Your hovering is making my neck itch."

Laurel gave him a sour smile, but walked in and closed the door behind her.

Quentin looked up. "It's gonna be that kind of conversation, huh?" He pushed back in his chair. "So am I talking to the ADA or the vigilante?"

"How about your daughter?" Laurel tried to keep the bitterness from her voice, but sometimes her father made it so hard. Sometimes it felt like she was never going to escape his anger and resentment.

He didn't say anything in response, but the aggressive look on his face faded into something more neutral.

"Sara's grave's been disturbed." Laurel managed to keep her voice calm and even. "I think someone may have taken her body."

"What do you mean you _think_ someone stole her body?" Quentin stood up and leaned toward her.

"We noticed some irregularities and ran radar on the grave."

"We?" he sneered. "Why are you even telling me?" Quentin said through clenched teeth. "I'm sure you and your hooded pals have already decided what to do."

"No," Laurel said. "I'm telling you, because first, your daughter's body is missing, and I told you that I wasn't going to lie to you anymore."

Laurel wanted to move into his space. Respond in kind with anger and distrust. To let him know that she wasn't intimidated by him. She remained where she was, hands tightening around the handle of her briefcase.

"And second, you're the police. Investigate." She pulled a file from her bag and tossed it on his desk. "That's everything we have."

Quentin stared her down for a moment before dropping his eyes to the file. He flipped it open, paging through the contents. "You ran radar tonight?" He frowned. "And you're already bringing this to me?"

"Your faith in me is overwhelming dad," Laurel turned and walked to the door.

"Laurel," Quentin's voice stopped her before she could pull the door open. He was silent for several moments, but she didn't turn around. "I'm … I ap… I'll look into it."

Laurel nodded and walked out. Once she was clear of the building she let out a huge sigh. "I need a meeting."


	2. Chapter 2

Nyssa Raatko, formerly Nyssa al Ghul, felt rage simmer within her such as she'd never known. She walked through the corridors of Nanda Parbet as if by sheer will alone she could erase her very history from the stones. No longer daughter of the Demon. No longer heir. No longer wife. Of all the roles she'd played and goals she'd set, there remained a singular focus.

She would avenge Ta-er al-Asfer, her beloved Sara. And soon.

Malcolm Merlyn would bow to her blade this evening, and after that… well, she'd been willing to give up her life once already. She and Oliver had both come to peace before boarding that plane. That they had somehow managed to survive and foil her father's plans for Starling City, well that had only reinforced her conviction to see Sara's killer brought down.

That there was more than one reason to enact justice upon Merlyn was something Nyssa acknowledged to herself only. She'd become... weak wasn't the right word, though it was how she felt. She had come to care for several people in Starling City, against her best intentions.

She pictured Thea Queen's face, filled with shame and desperation as she'd offered her life in recompense. It haunted her. Quinten Lance. In Nyssa's opinion, what a father should be like. It was a great wrong that such a man had to mourn his daughter twice. And Laurel. Nyssa would not let herself dwell on the rash other woman, but suffice it to say, the man she once named Al Sa-Her had much to answer for.

Merlyn was already upon the dais when Nyssa strode into the main chamber, League members assembled before him ready to swear allegiance. She saw surprise in his eyes as he noted her presence. As a member of the League of Assassins, she'd been summoned just as everyone else.

Nyssa strode toward him, unafraid. "At least admit this was your goal all along."

"My only aspiration was to free myself of your father's grasp." Merlyn returned calmly. "A feat we both managed to achieve."

"I don't see how it was possible in your case."

"When I was your father's captive three months ago, he tortured me with his blade."

"And you survived because my father chose to release you."

"Funny thing prophesies," Merlyn said with a smirk.

It was all Nyssa could do not to smack the smug look from his face. "Fate and my father have shown you mercy. I will not. You took Sara from me and I will have justice."

"You are welcome to try. Until then," he raised his voice, looking only at Nyssa, "kneel before Ra's al Ghul."

Nyssa felt those gathered behind her lower themselves. She continued to hold Merlyn's gaze. Part of her wondered what action he would take if she remained standing. Would he order someone to force her, or might he be inclined to try himself? As much as she wanted to test him, that question would have to go unanswered.

She maintained her position for several more heartbeats before finally dropping her eyes and descending to one knee. She could all but feel Merlyn smiling above her in victory. Gloating. Her plan had depended upon such a reaction.

The solid feel of the dagger's hilt sliding from its sheath into her waiting hand brought Nyssa a feeling of peace. Merlyn, too distracted at his perceived ascension to power, failed to consider that her sole purpose in returning was to find a single opening in which to kill him. He'd assumed her to be patient. To wait, to play the game, as he had. She'd learned much from fighting, both with and against, those in Starling City. Sometimes a full out attack, when it made the least amount of sense, was most effective.

She sprang from her crouch, jabbing her knife into the joint where Merlyn's hip met thigh and twisting. Blood sprayed across her face, blinding her just long enough for Merlyn to graze the side of her head with a leather encased fist.

She moved in quickly, knowing that she had mere seconds. The first wound might be enough, but she needed him to bleed out as quickly as possible. Otherwise the Lazarus Pit might rescue him. She slid the blade up through the armpit, right between the chest and shoulder plates.

League armor was excellent protection, but all armor had gaps. A direct strike to torso or neck would have been repelled enough to be ineffective. Instead Nyssa had targeted major arteries that aligned with places she knew Merlyn's armor would be weakest – the femoral along the thigh and the axillary along the arm.

Malcolm Merlyn fell away from her, and she was spun to the side by rough hands.

An armored fist sent her back to her knees. Blood clouded her vision again, but she suspected that this time it was her own. Another strike drove the dagger from her hand. A booted foot smashed into her spine, the force of it clearing the blood from her eyes long enough for her to see Merlyn lying on the ground. He was ghostly white except where the streaks of red marked him. She watched, transfixed, as his life force pooled beneath him before steadily dripping down the steps of the dais.

She lost track of the individual blows that continued to rain down upon her body. Their number too many to count. She moved beyond the pain. Closing her eyes, Nyssa's last conscious thoughts were of peace and vengeance and hope.


	3. Chapter 3

Thea crouched in the shadows of a taller building. The warehouse roof where Laurel lingered most nights didn't offer any closer perches. The scene of Sara's murder drew them all from time to time, but few more than Laurel.

It wasn't as if Thea was tracking her. Tracking implied that she didn't know exactly where Laurel would be. Stalking was probably a more accurate term, but not how Thea really wanted to think about it. There was a cloud over Laurel, and it made Thea worry.

That was saying something. She'd known Laurel Lance for so long, that she had problems pinpointing a time before the woman had been a presence in her life. In all those years Thea had seen Laurel struggle. Sara's death, Ollie's betrayal, Tommy, addiction… Thea had seen Laurel down. This wasn't that. If Thea didn't know better she'd swear that Laurel was brooding over someone.

Just the thought of it was ridiculous. Laurel hadn't had feelings for Ollie in years. And she certainly wasn't mooning over Dig.

Thea wished Felicity was here. She was so much better at fixing things. Laurel would talk to Felicity. Honestly, the only people Laurel even spent time with outside of "business" were Felicity and Nyssa. With Felicity and Ollie on their "retreat" and Nyssa gone… well, that only left Thea.

"And on that cheery note," Thea mumbled to herself. She launched off the ledge where she'd been crouching, grabbing a trailing drainpipe and dropping to the gravel top roof with almost no sound. She was pretty sure Laurel heard her, but the other woman didn't say anything until she'd plopped down next to her.

"Slow night?"

Thea shrugged. "Pretty much. I'm heading back soon."

Silence settled over them. Awkward silence.

"So, um, how'd things go with your dad?"

Laurel's shoulders tensed. "Fine," she said flatly. "As well as can be expected."

"I thought things had gotten better?"

"Yep, this is better." Laurel gave Thea a sour smile. "He did warn me that he wasn't going to forgive me. I'm starting to believe him."

Thea nudged her with a shoulder. "Look on the bright side, your father could be a murdering sociopath, whose whereabouts are currently unknown."

That got a chuckle out of Laurel. "No word? I'm kind of surprised."

"Right?" Thea agreed. "Who thought he would listen? Granted disappearing from Starling seems to be a trend here lately."

"You haven't heard from Oliver?" Laurel asked.

"No," Thea shook her head. "I've got the emergency cell for Felicity."

"Me too."

"But I haven't wanted to use it just to check in."

"Same," Laurel nodded. "They deserve some time."

"Nyssa too."

"Mmm…" Laurel pursed her lips.

Thea raised an eyebrow. "You don't think Nyssa deserves some time off? Hasn't she been training and assassinating people, like her entire life? Probably wears on a person. Definitely in need of a vacay."

Laurel didn't respond.

"I mean, she lost everything in her life."

"Right," Laurel gritted out. "Everything."

"Are you mad at Nyssa for leaving?" Thea asked. "She's coming back, right?"

"You're guess is as good as mine." Laurel stood. "Do you really think she went on a vacation? Nyssa?"

"Um," Thea wasn't sure how to answer that.

Laurel paced. "Stupid."

Thea wondered if Laurel was referring to her, Nyssa, or Laurel herself. "What exactly did Nyssa say before she left?"

"Her heart was 'unquiet' and she needed to find peace," Laurel almost sneered the words.

"Oh kay." Thea said. "I take it you don't think she's off meditating somewhere."

"I think she's doing something incredibly stupid." Laurel stopped pacing and met Thea's eyes. "I think she might be hunting Malcolm."

"No surprise there," Thea chuckled.

Laurel ran a frustrated hand through her blonde wig. "She was making a home here, damn it! She was finally getting over Sara."

Thea tilted her head and studied Laurel as she resumed pacing. A strange idea took root in her brain.

There was no possible way that Laurel was pining after Nyssa.

And yet, it made a strange sense if Thea really considered it. Laurel had been pretty great up until a few weeks ago. She'd been genuinely happy for Ollie and Felicity. Training had been hardcore, but with an underlying capacity for fun. She'd even managed to get Nyssa to loosen up and joke with them.

And Nyssa had steadily encouraged Laurel to reach out to her father and try to mend the rift between them. It had been working. Kind of. She knew that the three of them had actually had dinner the week before Nyssa had left.

The more Thea thought about it, the more she realized that Laurel's mood shift had happened immediately after Nyssa's departure. There really were no normal relationships amongst Team Arrow. If Laurel really did have feelings for Nyssa it made for a tragically fucked up situation. Laurel had already been forced to share one partner with Sara. Competing with the ghost of your dead sister had to be even worse.

"So maybe we poke around a little bit," Thea suggested. "I mean, I'm no Felicity, but I can work the keyboard magic a little bit."

Laurel stood still, considering.

"I at least might be able to find Merlyn. I do know most of his haunts."

"Okay."

Laurel sounded less than enthusiastic, but Thea would take it. Again, she wished for Felicity. How was she supposed to keep this to herself? If she was even right.

"Come on." Thea threw an arm around Laurel. "Let's you and me call it a night. Don't you have lawyer things to do in the morning?"

Laurel laughed and followed Thea to the building's edge. "Something like that."


	4. Chapter 4

Felicity stepped through the open French doors on to the deck and felt a wave of contentment and warmth rush over her. There was nothing but ocean and beach as far as she could see. Well, ocean, beach, and a beautiful shirtless Oliver. The former vigilante lay on a chaise lounge, eyes closed, body relaxed. His normally pale skin sported a healthy tan. And even when resting, a small smile lingered on Oliver's lips.

Their days had been occupied with nothing more pressing than deciding whether they would swim before breakfast, or after. And their nights. Well, Felicity had been walking around with a perpetual smile on her face as well because of their nights. And afternoons. And really, mornings too. Her eyes began to glaze just thinking about that thing that Oliver had done with the strawberries earlier.

"Are you just going to stand there ogling me?" Oliver said, eyes still closed. "I'm not an object, you know."

Felicity grinned and walked the short distance across the deck. "Oh, I don't know," Felicity purred, crawling up the lounger to settle into Oliver's arms. "You're the object of my affection."

Oliver lifted his head and looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Too cheesy?"

"I'll let it go," Oliver responded.

Felicity sighed and wiggled closer into Oliver's arms. Her fingers traced over his chest. Down his firm abs. She was just reaching down to caress a cotton covered thigh when she found herself flat on her back with Oliver above her.

"How hungry are you?" Felicity asked as lips descended along her neck.

"Pretty hungry," he responded between kisses.

"Lunch can wait."

When Felicity woke, the sun was significantly lower in the sky. She stretched and luxuriated in the nearness of Oliver and the pleasant soreness of her muscles. She really needed to add more cardio to her workout.

She left Oliver dozing on the deck and headed back inside to see what they might throw together for a late lunch. The subtle chime from her workstation a few minutes later pulled Felicity away from contemplation of the refrigerator contents. Oliver and Felicity may well have given up a life of crime fighting, but it made absolutely no sense to become uninformed. As such, Felicity had numerous bots that tracked their "interests" in Starling City. If one of them happened to track certain police activity… who was it really hurting?

She scanned the police report that had activated her alert. The first thing that caught her attention was the filing officer. Capt. Q. Lance. "Not good." The crime scene location didn't help either. But as Felicity read further down her heart beat increased more and more. Her hands flew over the keys, accessing more information.

Felicity activated a secure line and dialed Thea's number from memory. It rang twice before the younger Queen sibling answered.

"Arrow headquarters, Speedy speaking. How can I be of assistance?"

"Um, ah… what?" Felicity spluttered. "That is not how you answer."

Thea's laughter came through the speaker. "I'm sorry. They must have skipped phone etiquette when I received my vigilante training."

"Hardy har har," Felicity responded. "You're lucky this call is secure, or you'd be in serious trouble young lady."

"Did you just…" Thea started.

"Oh God, I young lady-ed you. Ugh." Felicity rolled her eyes. "It will not happen again." A beat. "I hope."

"It's okay. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, but," she paused.

"But that's not why you called."

Felicity sighed. "No. I'm accessing a police report that was filed this morning."

"You just made me twenty bucks," Thea crowed. "I told Dig that you totally had little scans running in Starling."

"And Central City, and Gotham, and Metropolis, but that's beside the point," Felicity insisted. "The report I'm looking at says that someone stole Sara's body."

"Yeah," Thea's voice lost its humor. "We know."

"Well?" Felicity asked. "What are your leads?"

"Felicity we turned it over to SCPD."

"Intentionally?" Felicity couldn't believe that.

"It was Laurel's call."

Felicity's fingers stilled and she let out a breath. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"But," Felicity began.

"She didn't want to lie to her dad."

"You know what," Felicity said, fingers typing again. "She's not. But I am certainly not going to ignore the resources I have if I can help."

"Isn't that kind of how you became a vigilante hacker in the first place?"

"Shut up."

Thea chuckled.

"I'll be in touch," Felicity said.

"K. Kiss that brother of mine for me." Thea paused, "But not in like a gross way. You know what I mean."

"Check." Felicity ended the call and began bringing up the Starling City traffic camera system. Warm hands rested on her shoulders. "You heard?"

"Enough," Oliver said.

"Any ideas?"

"A few. All of them disturbing."

"I'm going to do what I can to help," Felicity stated. "I know we said we weren't going to get involved, but this is different."

"It is," Oliver agreed.

"Sara's family."

Oliver kissed Felicity's shoulder, before walking into the kitchen to make lunch.


	5. Chapter 5

Drip.

Drip.

Nyssa didn't want to open her eyes.

Drip.

But the ceaseless noise of the leaking faucet kept bringing her closer and closer to wakefulness.

Drip.

Drip.

With a resigned sigh, she slowly opened her eyes. Blinking several times, to clear her vision. Or to be precise, she opened one eye. The fact that she couldn't seem to coax her left eye open registered at the same time as the odd view from her right eye. Nyssa's brain slowly caught up; reminding her of her current situation.

She was looking down at a stone floor. And the dripping noise that had awakened her was not from a leaky faucet.

Nyssa hung suspended from her wrists in the middle of a cell in Nanda Parbet. She couldn't feel her arms, but when she tried to settle her feet and take the pressure from her shackled wrists her left leg immediately gave out. She watched, with minor fascination, as a large slash on her thigh steadily oozed, dripping to the floor beneath her.

She tried to mentally assess her various injuries, but gave up quickly. There were far too many, and her mind couldn't seem to focus for very long. One thought was clear however.

She had failed. Merlyn still lived.

And he had been quite upset that she'd tried to kill him. He was even angrier that the Lazarus pit had refused to heal him. She took comfort in that.

He'd raged at her – from a litter, covered in pressure bandages.

"How did you manage it?" Merlyn had asked. "How did you pollute the pit?"

Nyssa had laughed, "If anyone had need for further proof that you are no Ra's, this is surely it."

She had no idea how much time had passed since then. He'd had her beaten repeatedly. Daily? Perhaps. It could have been hourly for all Nyssa knew. She hadn't spoken to Merlyn since. Not that his questions changed, and she had no answers for him.

Now Nyssa simply waited. Drifting in and out of consciousness and lucidity.

"You really are an idiot."

Nyssa smiled, causing renewed bleeding to her damaged lips.

"Trying to kill him alone was stupid." A gentle hand raised Nyssa's chin. "And it won't bring me back."

"It was my honor to try," Nyssa whispered, finally looking up into Sara's masked face. This was not the first time Sara had appeared to her. Soon they would be together. "I am willing to die for this."

"God, you're stubborn." Sara shook her head and stepped away from Nyssa.

"And an idiot," came Oliver's voice from the side.

"I already covered that," Sara said.

"It's worth mentioning again," Oliver responded. He squatted down so that he was in Nyssa's eye line, green leather filling her limited vision. "Why didn't you talk to me?"

"It wasn't your responsibility," Nyssa's returned.

"I loved her as well," Oliver said. "She was taken from me too."

"You moved on," Nyssa accused.

"She died, Nyssa," Oliver reasoned. "It's not a betrayal to find love again."

"Standing right here, guys," said Sara, throwing up her hands.

"Uh," interrupted Thea, "Except you're not."

Sara rolled her eyes. "It was a figure of speech."

"She totally should have brought me, at least," Thea insisted, nothing but a red blur to Nyssa as she paced around the cell. "I want to kill Malcolm as much as she does."

"No." Nyssa argued. Thea had been through enough. She was the last person Nyssa would have involved.

"Is it because I'm the youngest?" Thea asked, throwing out her hand to indicate her fit frame. "Cause I'm supper buff, and I listen to you more than any of the others." She winked.

"She was never going to allow any of us to help her, Speedy," Oliver stated. "She's an idiot who wanted to die. For nothing."

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm nothing," Sara sassed.

The voices continued around her, but the words made less and less sense to Nyssa, until finally they faded altogether.

"You know you're hallucinating, right?" a new voice asked.

Nyssa knew.

"And you're dying." This time it wasn't a question.

Nyssa knew that too.

The clacking of high heels on stone sounded and drew closer. Unlike her other visitors, the woman before her wasn't dressed in leather. Her charcoal suit was perfectly pressed, and completely out of place. "You're dying, and I'm sitting in Starling City, completely unaware of that fact."

Nyssa raised her head enough to look at Laurel's face.

"It was my duty," Nyssa began.

"Bull shit," Laurel spit out. "She was my sister. If anyone should have avenged her it was me."

"Do not question my love for Sara!"

"I know you loved her. So did I. So did Oliver. Roy. Felicity. Thea. My father," Laurel listed. "What makes your love for her so much better than anyone else's?"

The question hurt. And yet Nyssa had no response to give to Laurel.

"And now I get one of two possible scenarios," Laurel continued. "Option one, I never figure out that you ended up back at Nanda Parbet and always wonder why you left. Did you figure out that Starling City wasn't for you? Did you go back to assassinating people? Did you just decide that Dig and Thea and I weren't worthy of you? I'll never know."

"Laurel," Nyssa began to speak.

"Nope," Laurel put a finger against Nyssa's cracked lips. "It's my turn to talk. You had your chance to talk in Starling City, before you disappeared." She turned from Nyssa, walking the cell as if it were a courtroom. "Option two, and this is even better, I discover exactly what you did, how you died, and get to mourn you for the rest of my life. Lucky me." Laurel's voice was bitter. As bitter as it had been when Nyssa first met her. "Maybe Merlyn will dump your body on one of our doorsteps. That would send a message."

"You would have tried to stop me," Nyssa reasoned. What she didn't say out loud was that Laurel might well have succeeded.

"You're damn right I would have," Laurel grit her teeth and looked up at the chains holding Nyssa. "You are a coward, Nyssa Raatko," Laurel said as tears painted her cheeks. "You lied to me. And I let you, because I trusted you enough to come back."

Nyssa dropped her eyes, wilting under Laurel's words.

Laurel stepped into Nyssa's space, a breath away from touching her. Nyssa closed her eyes, inhaling the smell of Laurel's perfume and shampoo.

"Sara is your past." Laurel's lips brushed her ear. "Our past."

Nyssa felt the wetness of Laurel's tears on her neck.

"Why couldn't you have been brave enough to see that? To see me? To see us?" Laurel stepped back, away from Nyssa.

Nyssa felt the loss of Laurel's presence immediately. "Us?" Nyssa whispered. Her voice echoed in the empty room. No warmth lingered; only the unremitting sound of her life slipping away.

Drip.

Drip.


	6. Chapter 6

Laurel leaned back in her chair and rolled her neck from side to side. The small GPS dot on her screen hadn't moved in over an hour.

"I don't know how Felicity did this as long as she did," Laurel muttered, secure that no one would hear her. She'd muted her comm-link when John had asked for radio silence.

They'd been trailing a gang, who specialized in human trafficking, for the better part of a month, and John was certain he'd found one of their "storage" locations. He'd manage to secure a vantage point, and wasn't about to risk revealing his location unless he needed back up.

It made for a very long night for Laurel.

She sighed, pushing back the chair and rising. Their headquarters were decidedly less sleek than the previous location below Verdant. But unfortunately, when the police and the bad guys all new where your secret vigilante cave was you couldn't exactly continue to use it. The Palmer Tech penthouse had never been a permanent solution, and after the explosion… Laurel shuddered. She'd liked Ray.

Nyssa had offered the League's safe-house where she'd been staying, and after some heated discussion, they'd accepted. John had taken a bit of convincing, but the loft had been a good fit for their team. It had only needed minimum security upgrades and modifications. Laurel actually preferred the new space. The roof offered an egress that kept their nightly comings and goings far less obvious, and the original brick gave the space a warmer feeling than Laurel had ever experienced in the basement of Verdant.

Checking John's location once more and making sure that the comm was clear, Laurel decided that she could at least stretch out some kinks and try to clear her mind. She slipped out of her shoes and pulled her hair into a messy bun. An unused corner of the loft gave Laurel enough space to move without endangering any equipment. The smooth wood floor beneath her feet was warm. She inhaled for a count of four and dropped into her first kata.

Almost immediately her shoulders relaxed. The low-grade headache that she'd only been half aware of began to recede. Thoughts and worries that Laurel had been fixating on didn't disappear, but through a steady four count in and out ceased being a tangled mess of emotions she had no hope of getting through.

Sara. Yes, her body was missing. However, Laurel knew with absolute certainty that Sara was already dead, and no further harm could come to her. She'd been honest with her father and acted in good faith.

Her father would eventually forgive her. Laurel believed that. Recited it like a mantra. Eventually, he would forgive her.

The city was safe. At least as safe as they could make it. Laurel, John, Thea. They were a good team, and they were protecting Starling with their best efforts and intentions.

Laurel moved seamlessly from one kata to another. Her muscles felt strong and ready, body obeying commands that she wasn't consciously aware of giving. She continued to breathe. She also continued to deny the common thread woven within all of the thoughts weighing on her mind.

Nyssa. Who helped protect a city not her own. Who encouraged Laurel not to give up on her father's love. Who might never truly recover from the loss of Sara.

When they'd first discovered that Sara's body was missing, Laurel had thought for a single moment that Nyssa might have been responsible. The notion was ridiculous once Laurel considered it fully. Nyssa would never disturb Sara, and Nyssa would never have intentionally caused more grief to the Lances. Still, Laurel could not predict what Nyssa's reaction was going to be to the grave robbery. The last thing Laurel wanted was for Nyssa to go on yet another quest of honor for her lost love.

Laurel paused and looked down at her clenched fists. "Damn it," she swore. The relaxation she'd achieved was gone. She closed her eyes and counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Pause. One. Two. Three. Four.

Laurel began the kata again. She imagined Nyssa mirroring her movements, as she had when Laurel was first learning. She saw Nyssa's face, calm and serene, as she guided Laurel's breathing and movement. A pang of longing hit Laurel with surprising force. She missed Nyssa. Missed her presence and her steadiness, her unexpected laughter, but most of all Laurel missed the way she felt at peace when Nyssa was near.

Laurel had lied to herself a lot over the years. She was trying very hard not to do that anymore. She had feelings for Nyssa. Decidedly, more than friend, feelings. Laurel was also smart enough to know that those feelings would never be returned. She'd never crossed the line with Nyssa. There'd been no lingering glances or hugs that lasted too long. Still, Laurel had worried when Nyssa first left that she'd been too transparent. That Nyssa had somehow figured it out. That was no longer Laurel's biggest worry.

The longer Nyssa was gone, the more convinced Laurel became that she'd somehow found Merlyn. And the closer Laurel came to going after her.

Laurel fought through the anxiety that threatened to overwhelm her. Once more finding solace in the act of counting. No decisions needed to be made tonight, she reminded herself as she breathed.

A half hour later, John came in through the roof access and found her both sweaty and more centered. "I'm calling it a night," he said, shrugging out of his green leather jacket. "No usable recon, and I swear I didn't see a mouse move the entire time I was watching."

"We'll get them," Laurel reassured him. "Head home. I'll keep an eye on things tonight."

John gave her a smile of thanks and a wink. "You should get some rest too." His voice sounded before he was fully out the door.

Laurel snorted, but minimized most of the programs running on the bank of computers. She grabbed a tablet that would alert her to any problems and made her way further into the loft. A partition of shelves created a semi-private space, enclosing a trunk, a small table, and cozy quilt covered futon. Handfuls of books were stacked on shelves and in a neat pile next to a small reading lamp.

It was a great deal different now, than when Laurel had first entered Nyssa's safe-house. A single pillow, mattress, and wool blanket had been the only accoutrements at that time. Laurel had been so disturbed by what functioned as Nyssa's home that she'd been unable to stop thinking about it. She'd returned the next day with a host of things she deemed necessary. Her favorite quilt, soft sheets, books she though Nyssa might enjoy.

Nyssa had scoffed at the unnecessary items, but she hadn't refused them, and Laurel had noticed her stroking the soft faded flannel of the quilt on more than one occasion.

Laurel had been staying at the loft more and more since Nyssa had left. She knew that she was skirting an inappropriate line, but as she slipped between the sheets and turned out the small light, she couldn't find it in herself to regret it. She reached a hand out and rested it on the opposite pillow.

"Please come back," Laurel whispered.

Felicity rubbed the bridge of her nose under her glasses. She'd been looking at traffic camera footage for the past three hours. The grainy images were beginning to chip away at her will to live. She promised herself that she could quit for the day in a half hour.

It wasn't great, as leads go, but there was a camera that faced the south gate of Starling City Cemetery. It would take a large vehicle to transport a coffin. Felicity was banking on the fact that this gate was easiest way out of the cemetery.

She paused the feed as a pick-up truck approached. "Nope," she said, resigned. She hit play and watched as the truck cleared the gate and moved out of frame. Her eyes began to glaze a few minutes later. "I've got to stop for the…"

Felicity's sentence went unfinished. A window popped up on her screen as an alarm noise sounded over the speakers. "Oh shit," Felicity gasped, frantically typing. "No, no, no."

"Felicity?" Oliver came to stand behind her.

Her fingers continued to sprint across the keys. "Someone is hacking my system."

"How did they even find us?" Oliver asked. "You're practically off the grid here."

"Not this system," Felicity bit out, "The Arrow system. I set it up in case I needed to get info out to everyone. Worst case scenario situations. Someone is remoting in." Several windows of code popped up on her screen. "Shit, I can't stop it."

All the windows went black.

"I thought we had an agreement Oliver," Malcolm Merlyn's voice came through the speakers.

Felicity and Oliver exchanged a look.

"You leave me alone, and I do the same for you." The black screen was replaced by a screen shot of chains.

"Oh my God," Felicity gasped, as the camera began to pan down to show shackled wrists. Oliver leaned forward just as the camera focused on a bruised and battered face, almost unrecognizable.

"It seems you broke our truce."

What little remained of Nyssa's clothes were in bloody tatters. Her body was a roadmap of abuse.

"You have 48 hours to rectify what you have done, or your lovely wife," Merlyn paused to chuckle, "will bear the burden of your decision."

The window went dark.

Oliver put his face in his hands. "Felicity," he asked quietly. "Who just saw that video?"

Tears were running down the hacker's face. "I can't be sure who saw it," she stated as she pulled up more code. "But it was broadcast to everyone's devices."

"Everyone?"

"John, Thea, Laurel," she paused, as a new window opened indicating an incoming call. "And Captain Lance, who's currently using his secure cell to call my emergency line."


	7. Chapter 7

Laurel ignored her vibrating phone as she shoved the last of her gear into a duffle bag. She'd already packed a variety of weapons back at the loft. She hoped the stainless steel case was enough to get them past airport security.

Her phone began to vibrate once more. She glanced at the screen and saw that Felicity was calling yet again. She hit ignore. Laurel had no patience for the blonde right now. While her rational side knew that Felicity might be calling with information, a plan, or some other valuable factoid, Laurel was simply too close to the edge of falling to pieces. One kind sympathetic word from Felicity, one hint of tears in her voice, and Laurel would lose what little composure she had. That she was absolutely furious with Oliver didn't help. If he'd planned some type of revenge plan with Nyssa, she might just kill him.

She shouldered her duffle and picked up the now silent phone. An incoming text lit up the screen, and in spite of herself she read it. From Felicity: GET YOUR ASS OUTSIDE!

Laurel frowned, pulling the door closed behind her. Not exactly the text she'd been expecting. Neither was the ride she assumed Felicity had sent.

Parked directly across from the door to her apartment building, Thea waited in an idling black sports car. Laurel, annoyed by what she saw as yet another operation helmed by Oliver, passed Thea and began walking down the sidewalk towards her own car.

Thea gunned the engine and pulled forward. Her window went down. "Get in the damn car, Laurel."

Laurel's hand tightened on the handle of the weapons' case, but she kept walking.

Thea shook her head and sped up, pulling over to the side and effectively blocking Laurel's car in. She threw open the door and stomped over to where Laurel stood on the sidewalk. "I have a plane waiting to take us to Nanda Parbat," she ground out. "I know you're pissed. Be pissed. But I need you to get in the god damn car so we can go and save Nyssa." She reached down and yanked the case out of Laurel's hand and walked back to the car.

Grudgingly, Laurel followed.

As soon as Laurel pulled the passenger door shut, Thea threw the car into drive and floored it. Neither woman spoke during the trip to Starling's private air strip.

They passed through the main gate and drove toward one of the larger hangers. A jet was parked out front. The Palmer Tech logo on its side came as no surprise to Laurel. The two men standing beside it however, were a different story. John Diggle waited by the open cargo hold, and next to him stood Quinten Lance.

John stepped forward as Laurel opened her door.

"No way," Laurel started, "You are not leaving Lyla and Sara."

"I wasn't planning on it, but it's good to know you're in charge of me." He deadpanned, going to the trunk and pulling out the weapons case and several other containers that Thea handed him. "I'd tell you to be safe," he said, pausing next to her, "but, well... I'll ask you a favor instead."

Laurel raised her eyebrow at him.

"You pop that son of bitch a good one for me." He walked away, carrying the various supplies to the plane to load.

Laurel wasn't sure if the son of a bitch in question was Merlyn or Oliver. And she honestly didn't feel like asking. "Why do I feel like I've stepped into the Twilight Zone?"

"Maybe you should answer your freakin' phone when it rings," Thea said, as she too headed toward the plane.

Laurel was out of sorts. Just a few short hours she'd been asleep. Sound asleep until the tablet beside her had lit up and she'd heard Malcolm Merlyn's voice. Before she'd had her worst fears confirmed. The only things keeping her from bursting into sobs were adrenalin and self-will.

And now somehow her father was involved. She understood John and Thea. Hell, she even understood Felicity and Oliver. She didn't have to like it, but she understood. But for the life of her, she could not figure out what her father was doing here.

She watched as he shook John's hand before finally making eye contact with her. He'd hung back since she arrived. She watched him hesitate before moving forward to bridge the gap between them.

"What are you doing here Dad?" Laurel asked when he was close enough to hear her.

Quinten Lance pulled a phone out of his pocket and approached her. He held the device out so that she could see the screen. The video had been paused on Nyssa's shackled wrists. "Felicity gave this to me last year," he said, "In case I needed something."

Laurel reached out and hit a button, clearing the screen. Unable to look at the image for a second more. A warm hand covered her own and pulled her gently forward. For the first time in months Laurel felt her father's arms surround her. Protective and loving. She was stiff in his embrace, afraid to let him comfort her. He gave her a final squeeze before drawing back enough to hold her face in his hands.

"You go get that girl," he said softly. "You go kick somebody's ass, and you bring her back here."

The plane's engines roared to life, and Laurel knew she didn't have time for a prolonged discussion.

Laurel nodded and stepped forward to accept her father's hug. "I love you, Dad," she said quickly.

"Yeah, well, I love you."

Laurel let go and ran for the steps leading into the plane without looking back.

Part of Laurel expected to see Oliver sitting inside the posh private jet, but other than the pilot, Thea was the only occupant. She took a seat across from the other woman and glared.

Thea rolled her eyes.

A moment later they were taxying down the runway and climbing into the sky. The minute they reached altitude and the plane leveled off, Thea pulled a laptop out and began booting up. She turned the screen to face Laurel. "So, we know she's in Nanda Parbat." She zoomed in on a structural drawing of the fortress. "Felicity thinks here."

"What's Oliver's grand plan?" Laurel snapped.

"Well, that's up to you," Thea said. "This is your op. I've got intel from Felicity. Oliver will meet us on site as backup. But how we do it is your call."

Laurel looked at her with disbelief.

"If you can get your head out of your ass long enough to think," Thea added.

"You know what Thea," Laurel began, anger making her voice shake.

"No, you listen," Thea interrupted. "Oliver had no idea that Nyssa was going to go after Merlyn. He didn't support her and he didn't do anything to put her in danger."

"Then why does Merlyn think that Oliver and Nyssa are working together?" Laurel pleaded. "Why are they at Nanda Parbat?"

"Merlyn is the new Ra's." Thea said quietly.

"What?"

"It was the deal that Oliver made. For Malcolm's help. To save Starling City."

"Son of a bitch," Laurel swore. Her brain turned over all the information. "Rectify what you've done? That's what Merlyn said. That's about more than just Nyssa."

Thea gave her a small smile. "And that's where the rest of us are at in the conversation. Ollie has no idea what Merlyn's talking about. It sounds like it's bigger than just an assassination attempt."

Laurel nodded and gave Thea a hard look. "Are you going to be able to handle this?"

"Possibly killing my father? Yep, I'm good."

"Thea?"

"My father is a murderer, many times over. If it came down to his life or mine… or yours, Ollie's, Nyssa's? I can make that choice." She sighed. "Not that I think you or Ollie would let me."

"Not if I can help it," Laurel said.

"Oh gee, you do love me," Thea teased. "So before we get to plotting, can we take a sec and acknowledge the big gay elephant in the room?"

"Excuse me?"

Thea just looked at her.

"What?" Laurel was honestly confused.

"You," Thea held up a finger on her right hand, "and Nyssa," she held up the matching finger on her left and pressed them together, "and the…" Thea started making kissing noises.

Laurel paled. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"So you're not kissing her," Thea concluded, "but you want to be."

"It really doesn't matter," Laurel deflected. "We have bigger things to worry about."

"We do," Thea agreed. "We're going to get her back Laurel." She reached out and squeezed Laurel's arm. "I just, I wanted you to know that I know, and that if you want to talk about it… you should call Felicity. She's way better at this stuff than I am."

Laurel gave a laugh that turned into a sob. In an instant Thea was around the table and pulling Laurel into her arms. Laurel couldn't catch her breath. "I can't do this," she gasped. "I can't fall apart."

"You can fall apart for five minutes," Thea reassured. "Then it's time to get to work."

Sara sat cross-legged on the ground at Nyssa's feet. "Did I ever tell you about the time that I broke my leg?"

Nyssa made some type of noncommittal noise. She had a vague recollection of a childhood mishap.

"I was trying to scare Laurel," Sara smiled as she spoke. "So I hid in one of the trees outside of the library. Here comes Laurel, walking home from school, right under my hiding spot. I jumped and landed directly in front of her. She fell back and screamed her head off, and so did I. Snapped my tibia right in half."

Sara began to wavier in Nyssa's vision. The act of keeping her eyes open was too strenuous.

Sara's voice continued, "Laurel carried me almost two miles to the hospital. She was eleven. It wasn't until Dad got there that anyone realized Laurel had broken her own ankle when I'd jumped out and scared her."

 _Yes, that certainly sounded like Laurel_ , Nyssa thought. _Brave, beautiful Laurel._

"Nyssa!"

She could hear the urgency in Sara's voice, but her body refused to respond.

"Hold on just a little longer Nyssa."

She tried, she really did, but in the span of one heart beat into another, Nyssa felt her hold on consciousness slid away.


	8. Chapter 8

Laurel hugged the edge of the mountain. They had yet to spot any sentries, but she wasn't taking any chances. She could feel Thea behind her, sticking close. Both of them hidden by the mountain's shadow.

Up ahead Laurel spotted the crevice she knew concealed one of the entrances to Nanda Parbat. The same one Oliver and John had used to gain entry months ago. She hoped the League's security hadn't improved since then.

Senses on high alert, Laurel eased herself into the alcove of the mountain. It opened into a fairly large cavern. A small lantern hung on a hook in the wall, illuminating the iron-bound door directly in front of her.

"Should we knock," Thea whispered, moving to stand beside her, "or just let ourselves in?"

Laurel looked at Thea and asked seriously, "Are you ready for this?"

"Is anyone really ready for a suicide mission?" Thea said.

Laurel glared at her.

"Joking," Thea assured. "Kind of."

Laurel shook her head and double checked her weapons. Neither woman was outfitted in their standard vigilante garb. While Laurel was still dressed head to toe in black leather and carried her batons, she'd forgone the mask and wig and added two semi-automatic pistols, various knives, and a pump-action shotgun across her back. Thea had similarly ditched the mask, and carried a sword as well as her usual bow strapped across her red hooded jacket.

Laurel put her hand on the metal ring of the door, and when Thea nodded that she was ready, pulled it open.

An empty hallway stretched before them.

"This whole lack of assassins is starting to freak me out," Thea said.

"Not going to disagree." Laurel pulled out her batons and walked down the deserted hall.

Thea nocked an arrow and covered their rear.

Both heard the sound of footsteps approaching at the same time.

Laurel motioned for Thea to take the right while she ducked into an archway on the left. The footsteps grew closer, rounding the corner into the area where Laurel and Thea waited. The man, dressed League gear, strode past them toward the door they'd just entered. Laurel followed quickly behind him, soundless, ready to strike.

"Laurel, no," Thea hissed.

The man turned, just as Laurel was bringing up her baton to strike. His hood fell back, revealing Oliver Queen.

Laurel hesitated before she lowered and holstered her baton.

Oliver laid a comforting hand on Laurel's shoulder. She immediately punched him.

Oliver bent over, clutching his nose. "What was that for?" His voice was far more nasal than usual.

"The next time you decide to hand a murderous sociopath his own private assassin army, perhaps you should share that information," Laurel said coldly.

"You did kind of have that coming," Thea agreed.

Oliver grunted and used his palms to straighten his broken nose. He wiped a bit of blood away before he faced Laurel. "I am truly sorry. I should have told you. All of you."

Laurel saw the sincerity in his eyes. She nodded. She wasn't about to forgive him, but she could put her anger aside for now. "Can I assume that you're the reason we have seen anyone?"

"Felicity did make it slightly easier," Oliver said, pulling a small tablet out of his jacket. A 3D infrared map of their level showed their own silhouettes as well as a medium sized pile of slow to no moving assassins in a room down the hall.

"Nice," Thea said appreciatively.

"It gets better," Oliver pinched his fingers together on the screen and the image zoomed out to show a level by level map of Nanda Parbat.

"Shut up," Thea gasped, "Felicity created the Marauder's' Map!"

Oliver gave a small smile and zoomed in on a particular level. "Nyssa's being held here." He zoomed back out and pointed to a group of infrared dots. "Thirty at the most."

"Did you locate Merlyn?" Laurel asked.

"Not with any certainty, but I have an idea."

"This doesn't feel right," Laurel looked around. "He knows we're coming. There should be more people waiting around to kill us."

"What if they're not interested in following him?" Thea offered.

Laurel shared a look with Oliver. She'd been thinking something similar.

"Let's hope that's the case," Oliver said.

"Ok," Laurel pointed to a place on the tablet. "Oliver and I are going to hit them with a full frontal assault, right here. That should draw most of them forward."

"What about me?" Thea protested. "I didn't come all this way just to watch."

"You, my dear, are shock and awe." Laurel zoomed in on a ledge that overlooked the area from above. "Wait until they move to us, then you give them something to think about." Laurel patted some of the special arrows strapped to Thea's back. "Once you see us with an advantage I need you to fall back here," Laurel indicated another point, "and clear the way out."

"Distractions?" Thea asked.

"Whatever you need to do, just keep that exit open."

"I like this plan," Thea winked.

Laurel gave Thea a grim smile before turning to Oliver. "Where do you think Merlyn is?"

He zoomed out and pointed to the main chamber. A large section of the room was blank, as if something was blocking their readings.

"As soon as we're through the guards, get up there and get as much intel as you can. Assuming we live through this, he's going to come after us."

"And if he fights me?" Oliver asked.

"You kill him," Laurel answered. "And then maybe all of us can sleep better."

Nyssa started awake.

A fine dust fell like snow from above. She watched float downward, settling on whatever surface it encountered.

That seems odd.

It was her first lucid thought in some time.

A resounding BOOM thundered from outside Nyssa's cell, followed by a bright flash of light, and yet more dust.

Nyssa raised her head in surprise. The sound of fighting registered. A sword clanged against stone before a firm thump landed against the wooden door. Unfortunately her strength gave out right before the door creaked open, and despite all her efforts she couldn't force her neck muscles to raise her head up again.

Long legs encased in black entered her field of vision and stepped closer. She could see hands. Watched as black gloves were impatiently ripped off before slipping along her neck to feel for a pulse.

"Thank God."

I'm hallucinating, Nyssa assured herself. She'd heard that voice many times in this room. The hand on her neck shifted, lifting her head, while another smoothed the hair away from her face.

Laurel stood before her, her face dirty and slightly bloody.

"Beautiful," Nyssa breathed.

"Oh Nyssa," Laurel's voice caught as she took the final step and pulled Nyssa as gently as possible into her arms.

Nyssa's head settled in the crook of Laurel's neck, and content, she let the darkness swallow her once again.


	9. Chapter 9

"What have you got, Felicity?" John's voice came over the line, halfway through the first ring.

Felicity decided not to comment on the quickness of his phone answering. She was nervous as well, and out of practice for it. The fact that she could actually follow what was happening at Nanda Parbat in real-time helped, but did little to calm her racing heart. "So far so good," she answered John. "Tech is working well. The 3D mapping is better than I thought. Thank Lyla for me for that satellite, by the way."

"She was happy to help."

"As long as it kept you in Starling, right?" Felicity teased.

"We all have our trade-offs," John deadpanned.

Her lips twisted into a slight smirk. "Well, anyway. There's maybe thirty total League assassins in the fortress. Comms are still iffy," Felicity continued, running a diagnostic on the comm OS. "I haven't been able to get a clear signal. Which reminds me… I think Laurel might have decked Oliver."

"You don't say," John said, coughing.

"I swear to God, if that's part of your training protocol, you and I are going to have a serious discussion."

John offered no response.

Felicity rolled her eyes as she watched Oliver, Laurel, and Thea thread their way through the levels of Nanda Parbat. When Thea split off, she split the image across two screens to continue tracking them all. "We may be about to see some action," she commented to John. Felicity continued to watch as Thea took a parallel route to Oliver and Laurel on the level above. "Thea's going for a perch."

"Makes sense," John said. "Of the three of them she's the weakest in a hand to hand situation."

Felicity scoffed. "You mean the woman personally trained by both Malcolm Merlyn and Nyssa al Ghul? She's going to kick your ass when she gets back."

"That wasn't what I meant," John said quickly. "If she comes face to face with Merlyn…"

"You think she won't be able to take him down." Felicity shook her head. "You've got a lot to learn about women John. As the father of one, you should work on that."

"Yea, well, when you have kids you can lecture me."

"You better get ready then," Felicity shot back, only to freeze when she realized what she'd just said.

There was a ringing silence on both ends of the connection.

"Felicity?" John questioned.

"We're not going to talk about this right now."

"How far along?" He asked, ignoring her statement.

"Seven weeks. And no, before you ask, I haven't told Oliver yet. I was planning to, and then this thing with Nyssa happened, and I didn't want him to be thinking about anything else," Felicity's words came out in a rush.

"Congratulations," John said.

Felicity could hear the smile in his voice. "Okay, back to the thirty assassins trying to kill a good chunk of the people we hold near and dear."

"Agreed," muttered John. "What's the exit strategy look like?"

Felicity pulled up a full map on yet another screen. "It's a long trek from where they are, but the majority of Merlyn's guys are clustered." She tapped her lip as she studied the image. "Most around where we think Nyssa is, a smaller group in the main chamber, and a few stragglers wondering around." Felicity hated not being able to communicate with the team. "If they can take out the main group, they should be good to get out."

Felicity was double checking the plane's location when her 3D scan lit up. "Holy!"

What had been muted depictions of the architecture of Nanda Parbat became a violent burst of white.

"What's going on, Felicity?" John's voice was urgent.

Felicity ignored him as she waited for the screen to clear. "Damn it." Another burst rendered her screens useless. "Damn it. Damn it. I should have anticipated that."

John growled over the speakers. "Felicity?"

"I have light bursts," she snapped as she began to write code that might fix the problem. "Some type of explosion. I'm hoping it was us." Her fingers reined over the keys, desperately hoping to increase visibility. The screens displaying the scan went blank, then slowly started to refresh. "That's right! Still the queen," she crowed a moment later.

When she'd fashioned her 3D mapping, she'd set it to display as night vision. The new code she'd just inserted gave her the ability to switch to thermal. The current image showed Laurel and Oliver engaging multiple enemies, and Thea, quite literally, raining fire down from above.


	10. Chapter 10

Thea shot her second to last incendiary arrow with a large smile on her face. The thing that she loved the most about them was the little actual explosive power that they had. Barely a drop of actual TNT. Sure they'd rumble the stones of an old fortress like this, but unless she hit someone dead-on, they would cause that much actual damage.

Which made them perfectly safe to toss into a closed space that contained her team. That, and they lit up a room like nothing else. A small group of assassins flinched as her most recent arrow when off at their feet, allowing her brother to take out three of them before they'd even blinked the stars from their eyes.

There were roughly five left standing, or at least still engaging. Thea had been slightly concerned that Laurel didn't have her head on straight. Not that she could blame her, but she'd been extra vigilant about keeping an eye, and a taunt bow string, on the other woman. Ready to defend her should Laurel's focus lapse. Thea chuckled. That had definitely not been necessary.

Laurel cut a swath through the League's guards, as though each man had been solely responsible for the harm that had come to Nyssa. There was a line of unconscious and maimed bodies that traced Laurel's direct path to the heavy wooden door imprisoning Nyssa. She hadn't even drawn her guns yet.

No, focus was not a problem for Laurel.

"Speedy."

Thea turned at Oliver's shout.

"We got this," he said, kicking a man in the solar plexus and sending crashing into the wall behind him.

Thea glanced down and hit a button on her left bracer. "Ten minutes," she shouted.

"Ten," he agreed.

Thea gave Oliver a wink and shot one last glace at Laurel. One man stood between Laurel and that door. "I so would not want to be you right now," she said under her breath.

Stowing her bow once again on her back, Thea turned and ran back down the hallway. She had ten minutes to cause a distraction and clear the way back to their exit. And she totally had a plan. She was going to light Nanda Parbat on fire.

It wasn't a very complicated plan.

Granted, it wasn't as if she intended to burn the fortress to the ground. It was stone after all. But a healthy blaze would add a touch of panic to anyone's step. That was what she was going for.

Oliver took out the last assassin with a well-placed sword pommel to the face. Without sparing a thought for the piles of men laying around him, he ran through the doorway only to pull up short. Laurel was holding a still chained and non-moving Nyssa in her arms. "Laurel," he spoke softly, fearing the worse.

"She's not dead. Get your ass over here and help me get her down."

It was a quick thing to snap the locks holding Nyssa's shackles in place. Laurel caught Nyssa's limp body and laid her on the ground.

Oliver looked at the timer on his wrist. "We've got seven and a half minutes to get out."

Laurel didn't even look at him. "You better move quick then if you want to get up to the main chamber and back."

"Laurel, don't you…" Oliver began.

"I've got this Oliver." Laurel said shortly, as she continued to check Nyssa for injury. "Go."

He bit down on the comment he wanted to make, and strode out of the room. "Seven minutes," he yelled and broke into a run.

The halls were empty, and again he felt the overwhelming feeling that something wasn't right. He stopped several yards from the area where he suspected Merlyn was hiding and checked his display. Not a single guard was visible. Oliver put away the tablet and nocked an arrow.

He stuck to the shadows as much as he could, every instinct shouting that this was some type of trap. He rounded his way along the wall, easing past the Lazarus Pit. He came to a full stop.

The Lazarus Pit was empty. The basin, dry, cracked, and dusty.

He continued to hug the wall as he neared the semi enclosed area that Felicity's map had been unable to penetrate.

A soft glow came from a pair of burning lamps set into the wall. The alcove, used as a place to meditate and prepare when Oliver was last in residence, had been altered into some type of sick room. A table sat near the archway, covered with medical supplies and instruments. A bed was positioned directly across the room.

It took Oliver longer than it should have to recognize who lay in that bed.

Malcolm Merlyn's eyes were shut. He looked like he aged more than a decade in the months since Oliver had last seen him. There was a lingering look of pain etched into Merlyn's features, no doubt caused by the three arrows embedded in his chest.

Oliver moved slowly toward the bed, still wary of a possible trap. He frowned as he got closer, gaze hard on the arrows. He knew that fletching. Oliver reached down to touch an arrow, only to have his wrist intercepted.

Merlyn's gaze was cloudy, but focused on Oliver. "I really did think it was you," he coughed.

"What the hell is going on here, Merlyn?" Oliver growled. "Why would you torture Nyssa? Why drain the Pit?"

Merlyn laughed with a weak wheeze. "She was never going to let me live. Not after Thea. Not after Nyssa."

Nothing Merlyn was saying made any sense to Oliver. "Who did this?"

"You'll know soon enough." Merlyn's voice was quiet. His hand slipped from Oliver's wrist.

Oliver shook his head at the man dying before him. "Go to hell."

"Indeed."

"I don't have time for your games anymore." There was no pity or remorse in Oliver's voice. He reached out and grabbed the shaft of one of the arrows and yanked up swiftly. Slipping the bloody arrow into a slender bag, he walked out of the alcove without another word.

Thea stood just outside the fortress and watched flames lick the sides of the upper floors of Nanda Parbat. If she'd been five years younger she might have offered a one finger salute, but she was much more mature these days.

She checked the time. Less than a minute. She paced a few steps. Laurel had wanted an exit on the south. Closer to the plane and a straight shoot out to the sand. They'd both known that Nyssa wouldn't exactly be in the kind of shape to free climb down the way they'd entered.

"Come on," Thea muttered. She moved closer to the stone archway. Shadows moved, and for a moment Thea was certain that her mind was just offering what she wanted to see, but with each step the outline of Laurel became clearer.

Laurel was clutching Nyssa to her in a tight bridal carry, making the former assassin look small and fragile. Thea rushed over to help.

"Get the plane ready," Laurel barked before Thea could even get near.

Thea nodded. "Ollie?"

"He'll be here."

The alarm on Thea's bracer sounded. "He better be."

More flames suddenly flared up on different levels. Part of a chain reaction Thea had planted as she made her exit. She didn't have a chance to enjoy the show as she ran flat out toward the plane. She missed the sight of Oliver rushing out the stone archway a minute later, the heel of his boot alight.


	11. Chapter 11

The sound of the plane's engines firing up provided an instant energy boost to Laurel's aching body. She increased her pace and noticed that Oliver did the same. He'd been her shadow since exiting Nanda Parbat, guarding their retreat. He hadn't once suggested or offered to take Nyssa from Laurel's arms. Something she was infinitely grateful for. She might have had to punch him again if he'd tried to wrestle Nyssa from her careful grip.

The terrain beneath Laurel's boots switched abruptly from soft ground to asphalt. A few more steps brought the aircraft into sight. Thea had obviously directed the pilot to be ready for a speedy takeoff, as the nose was already pointed toward the small stretch of runway.

"Almost there," Laurel breathed, willing her feet to move swiftly. The last hundred feet seemed to take forever, but finally Laurel was ascending the steps into the body of the plane. It was a tight fit, but Laurel managed not to jar Nyssa in the narrow doorway.

Thea looked up from where she'd been setting up a make-shift emergency room. "Put her here," she directed, indicating the right most couch. Thea had several IV bags hanging from the overhead compartment. As soon as Laurel laid Nyssa down, Thea handed her a pair of scissors. "Get those rags off of her." Thea moved down Nyssa's body, taking vitals and assessing the numerous injuries.

Laurel began cutting away what was left of Nyssa's clothing. A handful of snips and her shirt fell away. She slid down and started cutting through the legs of Nyssa's leather pants. The right, then the left. Each inch of skin, abraded, bruised, bleeding caused Laurel's teeth to clench tighter.

"Ollie, get the door closed, and tell the pilot I want to be in the air as soon as we get the IV started." Thea snapped on a pair of gloves and tied a rubber tube around Nyssa's arm. "Come on," Thea muttered, inspecting Nyssa's veins. A few seconds later she was taping the needle in place and adjusting the flow from the three bags. "All set," she called out. "Let's get out of here."

Laurel pulled the last of the shredded clothing away, letting it drop to the floor. She'd seen Nyssa in various states of partial dress before and had always been struck by her body. It was more than fitness. Nyssa was a weapon. Honed, sharpened, and shaped for a purpose. The woman who lay before her now was emaciated and fragile. And, as angry as Laurel was that Nyssa had gone off and nearly gotten herself killed, as horrified as she was by the state of her body, more powerful than both, was Laurel's need to see Nyssa whole and healthy again.

Thea knelt beside the couch, reaching out to place one hand on Laurel's back and the other across Nyssa's chest, supporting them both as the plane began to pick up speed. Laurel put the scissors down and wrapped her fingers around Nyssa's right ankle – it was one of the few undamaged areas – and waited for the plane to reach altitude.

"She's breathing," Thea said into Laurel's ear over the sound of the plane. "I just put her on an antibiotic, pain meds, and rehydration. As soon as we get that gash on her leg stitched up I'm going to give her a transfusion."

Laurel nodded. Thea's list was helping to cut through the anger and panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Thea had shown months ago that she had a better grasp of the battlefield first aid that team Arrow regularly needed than either Laurel or John. Laurel was thankful Thea had taken charge. "Where do you want me?"

Thea ran her eyes over Nyssa in a methodical way. "I want to get that thigh closed," she said after a moment. "If you can start cleaning away the blood from her head down, I'll be able to see what's dirt, blood, or bruising. I think at least a couple of her ribs are broken. Be careful there. We'll tape them once she's rinsed off."

Laurel felt the plane begin to level off. Thea stood and moved to Nyssa's legs, nudging Laurel toward her head in the process.

"Use the wipes," Thea pointed at a container among the supplies she'd assembled on one of the tables. She frowned at the open wound on Nyssa's thigh before using a squirt bottle full of liquid and a towel to wipe away the worst of the dried blood and grime.

Laurel turned away, reaching for the cleaning wipes. She started with Nyssa face, meticulously removing dirt and blood. Other than the swelling the worst injury seemed to be a nasty laceration that ran along Nyssa cheek into the hair above her ear. She worked quickly, but thoroughly, keeping an eye out for swelling and tender areas.

They moved in concert, each woman staying out of the way of the other as they deftly switched positions and tasks. It could have been minutes or hours, but soon enough they were covering Nyssa's bandaged and cleaner body with a soft blanket.

Thea gathered the bloodstained gauze and other medical supplies along with Nyssa's former clothes and disposed of them. She grabbed the antibacterial wipes and crouched back down in front of Laurel, wiping away the blood Laurel hadn't even known was there. "You have a cut right here," she dabbed at it. Thea pulled out two steri strips and placed them across the wound.

Laurel reached out and held on to Thea's hand when she was done. She wanted to say thank you, to express her absolute gratefulness and love for the young woman before her, but the words just wouldn't come. Instead her eyes just filled with tears.

"She's going to be okay," Thea said pulling her into a hug. "I really think she's going to be okay."

Laurel nodded and sniffed, willing her tears not to fall. Finally, she pulled out of Thea's embrace. "I'll stay with her, you go get cleaned up."

Thea smiled. "You guys are going to have matching scars, you know," she said, tapping the skin next to the steri strips. "Maybe when Nyssa wakes up she'll kiss yours better."

"Go clean up," Laurel said, exasperated.

Thea reentered the main cabin in fresh clothes and wet hair. She flopped down on the seat next to her brother. Both Queen siblings studied the other occupants of the plane. Laurel sat on the floor, shoulder pressed into the couch, head resting against Nyssa's hip, sound asleep.

Thea gave a small laugh and Oliver tilted his head to the side, as if trying to work out a visual puzzle.

"It's not my imagination, right?" He asked.

Thea quirked an eyebrow, "The decidedly 'everything I do, I do for you'-ness going on over there." She patted his leg. "You're totally imagining it."

He tilted his head in the other direction, frowning.

"Don't worry about it Ollie." Thea reassured. "Have you talked to Felicity?"

He nodded. "She's got everything set up. Portable Full body CT, general and orthopedic surgeon on call, full time nurse."

"You know I hate you a little bit for keeping Felicity all to yourself, right?"

He smiled and stretched back in his seat.


	12. Chapter 12

The hand on her shoulder jarred Laurel awake. She blinked up at Oliver.

"We're landing soon," he said quietly. "I think we should talk before then."

Laurel nodded and rolled her neck. A steady beeping noise drew her attention. Thea had been busy while Laurel was asleep. A monitor displayed Nyssa's pulse, temperature, and other vital information. Just in the few hours they'd been in the air, Laurel noticed small improvements. Satisfied for the moment, she rose from her place on the floor.

She sat across from a grim faced Oliver and Thea. "He escaped?" she said with a sigh.

"If only it were that easy," Thea muttered. "Make a plan, hunt him down, case closed."

"Merlyn's dead," Oliver said over Thea.

Laurel looked at him. "And this is a problem…?"

"I didn't kill him," he bit out. "He had three arrows in his chest." Oliver pulled out the arrow he'd taken and laid it on the table.

Laurel picked it up. "I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me Oliver. Maybe you should just spit it out."

"It's one of Malcolm's arrows," Thea said. "His personal arrows, not the league's."

Laurel threw up her hands, still not understanding the significance.

"It's remarkably similar to how Sara died," Oliver's voice was filled with patience.

"Oh." It all clicked in Laurel's mind. Thea knew the arrows because she'd used the same kind when Malcolm had trained her. When he'd brainwashed her to kill Sara. "So, someone, not us, killed Merlyn in a revenge killing for Sara?" she said, working it out.

"Maybe."

"Maybe? We're operating from maybe now?" Laurel sighed. "Anyone who killed Malcolm Merlyn, isn't exactly acting in opposition to us."

"We're hoping that Nyssa might be able to shed some light. That she might have been working with someone. A League member? Someone loyal to her," Oliver conceded. "As soon as she's conscious…"

Laurel stood and slammed her hand down on the table in front of Oliver. "I swear to God Oliver if you try to interrogate her I will end you. God! You ride in here like you're still in charge. Like you didn't walk away."

"Okay, I think maybe we should all just take a step back," Thea said, putting a hand on her brother's chest as he started to rise. "Talking to Nyssa isn't a bad thing, Laurel," she held up a finger to stop any argument, "once she's recovered," she clarified. "Oliver isn't suggesting that she should be interrogated. Her health is everyone's first priority."

At Thea's look Oliver nodded in agreement.

Laurel took a deep breath and sat back down. She knew that she wasn't in the most rational of spaces currently. "Do you think whomever killed Merlyn is a threat?"

"I don't know," Oliver said after a moment.

"The Lazarus Pit was also drained, destroyed, dried up… insert your d word," Thea offered. "It's gone."

"A centuries old secret cure for death is just gone?" Laurel was shocked. "Courtesy of our mystery killer?"

"Again, I don't know," Oliver said, "but my gut says no. I think the Pit is what Merlyn was talking about in his message to me."

"There's no way Nyssa destroyed the Lazarus Pit," Laurel said, thinking out loud. "No matter what she thought of her father or the League. It was sacred. She would never do that."

"I agree." Oliver took the arrow and slid it back into his bag. "Hopefully we'll find more answers once we're on the ground."

"So you're planning to stick around?" Laurel asked.

"You could say that." He smiled.

Felicity surveyed Thea's penthouse with pride. The full body CT machine and its technician were ready and waiting. A temporary clean/operating room was erected next to it, just in case. She'd forgone the orthopedist for the moment, deciding that the ER attending was a better bet, with a nurse on standby. The hospital bed had been delivered hours ago, and was already set up in the main floor guest room. She'd even arranged for an ambulance to transport Nyssa from the airstrip, along with John's SUV for the rest of the team. Which, she consulted her watch, should be anytime now. Having nearly unlimited resources really did make saving your friends while maintaining their secret vigilante origins a whole lot easier.

She had a large list of plans for the loft as well. Her pride still stung in the wake of Merlyn's hack of her system. Not that they'd touched anything beyond the emergency broadcast functions, but that had been more than enough to convince Felicity that a full overhaul was needed. And if what John had told her was true, Nyssa was basically living in a warehouse and sleeping on a cot on the floor. Unacceptable.

She had just started leafing through the blueprints of the former League safe house when her phone began to ring.

"We're ten minutes out," Oliver told her.

Things moved rapidly from that point.

The sight of Nyssa on the ambulance stretcher took Felicity's breath. It was all she could do to point toward the CT machine. Laurel followed like a shadow, while Thea, Oliver, and John brought up the rear.

The decision to bring in the ER doc had been a good one, as she'd quickly identified some, luckily minor, internal bleeding, and had to surgically address it. All told Nyssa had suffered a concussion, two broken ribs, a lacerated spleen, significant blood loss, dehydration, malnutrition, as well as the general effects of the beatings she'd withstood.

Between the pain meds, the concussion, and the general anesthesia, Nyssa had remained unconscious for all of it.

Now, as Felicity escorted the last of the medical team out the door, a quiet exhaustion settled over the members of the Arrow team. She looked at them all in turn and smiled. They really were a family.

And Felicity was their matriarch.

"Okay," she said, voice loud in the silent room. "John, can you head over to the loft? I'm going to meet you there shortly, and I need you to show me a few things."

"Can do," he said, standing. "I'm going to stop at home first and give Lyla an update."

"See you in an hour or so." Felicity turned to Oliver and Thea. "Bed. Both of you. Now."

"She can't make us go to bed," Thea argued to Oliver.

"Wanna bet?" he countered. "Come one Speedy." Oliver pulled Thea to her feet. "It's better to just do what she says. Unless you never want to surf the internet, make a phone call, or watch tv ever again."

"She can do that?" Thea's whisper came from the stairs.

It was all Felicity could do to hold on to her stern face. And she needed it as she turned to address the remaining member of the team.

Laurel stood along the wall, half leaning against the doorway to where Nyssa slept. She was still in the leathers she'd fought in, their normal sheen dull with dirt and dried blood.

Felicity went to the table and grabbed the bag she'd stowed there earlier. "You, my dear, are going to shower." She tossed the bag to Laurel, who barely caught it.

"I'm fine Felicity." Laurel didn't meet her eyes.

"You're really not," responded Felicity, "but you will be, and so will Nyssa." She walked past Laurel into Nyssa room and turned on the light in the en suite. "Shower. Now." She said again. "I'm going to sit in that chair right there and watch over your girlfriend."

Laurel stomped into the room. "She's not my girlfriend! And I really don't appreciate you and Thea talking about my personal feelings behind my back."

"Oh honey," Felicity squeezed Laurel's arm, "if you think I needed Thea to tell me you have feelings for Nyssa then you don't know me very well at all." She shook her head. "Her importance to you is practically flashing like a neon sign."

Laurel glared at her.

"Glare at me all you want, it doesn't make it less true. Now, I would really like to hug you, but," Felicity sniffed, "I don't really want to be surrounded by sweaty leather covered in assassin goo, so I'm going to need you to shower first." She took Laurel by the shoulders and spun her toward the bathroom door. When Laurel didn't immediate move, she gave her a little shove.

"Fine," Laurel said, closing the door behind her.

Felicity smiled to herself and took a seat next to Nyssa. When the water turned on a minute later, she couldn't help but gloat a little. "You'll thank me for that later," she said, picking up Nyssa's hand and giving it a soft squeeze. "And don't think you're off the hook either. I know you have feelings for her too." Felicity mentally ticked off the many times Nyssa had stepped in to protect Laurel. "I sure hope you found the closure you needed. Lord knows you paid a high enough price for it."

Nyssa was comfortable.

The constant pain and confusion she'd lived with for… however long it had been, was dulled. Her mind was working, albeit slower than she'd like. She knew she was in a bed. She heard the soft beeping and humming of machines. A hospital bed then. Had she actually survived?

Unwilling to open her eyes quite yet, Nyssa did a mental inventory of her body. Toes? Check. She wiggled the digits briefly. Her legs seemed equally intact, outside of a painful twinge on her left. The restriction in her breathing had already told her that her ribs were taped, probably broken. Dull headache, general achiness, slow thinking from drugs most likely. Nyssa continued to evaluate herself until an unexpected sensation registered. Someone was holding her hand.

This, more than anything caused Nyssa to blink her eyes open. It took a few tries, but slowly the room came into focus. Nyssa looked to her right.

Half slumped over, head resting on her arm, deeply asleep was Laurel Lance. It looked incredibly uncomfortable, and yet Nyssa felt her lips twitch in a small smile.

"She came for you," said a voice from the shadows.

Nyssa didn't jump, but felt her heart begin to beat madly. She heard the soft steps on her left, but didn't turn. She can't be here, Nyssa thought. I am still hallucinating.

"You have a chance to live your life the way you decide. Thanks to her."

She couldn't not look. Nyssa's head reluctantly turned to face the person speaking to her. Unlike in her visions, Sara wore no mask. Her leather jacket was not quite white and not quite grey, but pearlescent in the dim room. But outside of her physical appearance, there was just something different about her. Still unsure of her own sanity, Nyssa had no words to respond.

"Malcolm Merlyn died his bed, a coward. Nanda Parbat is no more. And the Sara you loved is dead." The woman in white reached out and placed the ring of Ra's al Ghul on Nyssa's finger. "She was avenged, and so were you."

"Sara," Nyssa whispered. Exhaustion was settling over her again like a soft blanket.

"Live your life Nyssa." She gently moved Nyssa's hand so that it lay on top of Laurel's. "There's no future for you in the past."

Nyssa tried to speak, to keep eyes open, but simply couldn't.


	13. Chapter 13

Laurel woke again to the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. This was no firm shake or nudge however, designed to pull her from sleep, but more of a soft touch. In the place between dozing and fully awake, Laurel enjoyed the sensation of gentle fingers along her arm. She leaned into the touch and from one heartbeat to the next, the fog of sleep lifted.

The reality of where she was and whose hand it might be snapped Laurel's head up from where it had been resting on the hospital bed.

Nyssa's hand fell away and her eyes widened at the surprising speed of Laurel's movements.

Laurel could only stare. After almost a week, Nyssa's face was a study in the various shades of bruising. Blues, greens, yellows, and purples bloomed over Nyssa's still too pale skin, only broken by the dark line of sutures that disappeared into her hairline. Whether she would have a scar on her cheek from the deep cup Thea had stitched up remained to be seen. But under all the damage, brown eyes blinked with a slightly muted version of Nyssa's usual fire and intelligence.

Much to her own embarrassment, Laurel felt her eyes filling with tears.

The slightly horrified and panicked look that crossed Nyssa's features made Laurel laugh wetly despite her tears. "You're awake," Laurel said, smiling.

"I'm not hallucinating then?" Nyssa asked.

"No," Laurel shook her head. "You're not. You're safe."

"How long?" Nyssa's forehead creased. "I can't remember," she said. "What was real, what was in my mind?" She raised her hands and fisted the hair at her temples. "It feels like I'm crazy."

Laurel reached up and covered Nyssa's hands. "You have a concussion," she soothed, not trying to pull Nyssa's hands away, just holding lightly. "And you were drugged."

Nyssa shifted her hands away to look at Laurel. "Drugged?"

"Felicity hasn't been able to identify it yet, but it was some type of psychotropic barbiturate." Laurel smoothed Nyssa's hair down and cupped her cheek. "She doesn't think there's any permanent damage, but things might be fuzzy for a while. You've been here for six days." She trailed her thumb over Nyssa's brow, then froze. She'd been petting Nyssa, caressing her face. Laurel pulled her hand away and sat back down in her chair.

Nyssa frowned. She glanced down at where Laurel's hand rested in her lap, before looking out the large window across the room. "We are in Starling City?"

"At Thea's." Laurel fidgeted with her bracelet, unsure of what to do with her hands now that Nyssa was awake. "She has a lot of space, and we couldn't exactly bring a crew of medical equipment to the loft." Nyssa continued to stare out of the window. She was so still that Laurel wondered if she might have slid back into sleep.

"You should not have come to Nanda Parbat," Nyssa said, voice quiet. "It was far too dangerous."

"No." Laurel held up her hand. "We are not having this conversation yet."

Nyssa turned to look at her. "You are angry."

"Oh, you bet I am," Laurel chuckled darkly. "More than you can possibly understand. But right now, my top priority is you getting better. So, discussions about your idiocy will have to wait for later." Images from Merlyn's video flashed in her mind and she barely contained a shudder. She thought of the ring that had simply appeared on Nyssa's finger the night before last. The ring she'd removed and hidden. Yes, they had a lot to talk about.

Nyssa huffed, but didn't argue.

"I should call the doctor," Laurel said, rising from her chair and pulling a cell from her pocket. "Now that you're awake, she's going to want to check you over."

Nyssa's hand reached out, fingers gripping the hem of Laurel's shirt. She said nothing, but Laurel understood the wordless request. Rather than leaving the room to make the call, Laurel resumed her seat and dialed the number with one hand. Her other hand, automatically wrapped around Nyssa's and gave an encouraging squeeze.

Felicity crawled out from under the bank of computers. She was hot, she was tired, and she definitely needed more coffee. Despite all this, she couldn't contain the huge grin on her face as she walked over to the main screen and booted up the newly installed system. Numerous screens burst to life, bringing in real-time police reports and traffic info. She'd integrated her new thermal 3D mapping in as well, and was still considering having a heads-up display installed into everyone's masks.

"So, what do you think?" she shouted without looking up from her displays.

Oliver and John paused, fifty feet away and nowhere in her eye line. Together, they walked cautiously over to Felicity, both looking around with expressions of shock and puzzlement.

"So you've been busy," Oliver commented.

Felicity smiled. "There were some upgrades that really needed to happen."

"You installed cameras," John stated, pointing to the screen showing various entries and angles of the loft. "I didn't even notice them."

"You might have been a bit distracted by the construction," Oliver teased.

"Quite possibly," John agreed.

"Welcome to the Arrow loft, gentlemen," Felicity said with a flourish. "Two bedrooms, three baths, full kitchen, conference room, training space, and new command center. Well, technically only this floor is done. The apartment downstairs needs another day."

"I can't believe you did this in a week," John's voice was surprised.

"Five days actually."

Oliver chuckled and reached out to catch Felicity's hand. "What exactly did you tell these super quick construction workers?"

"That it's going to be a safe house for battered women. That's why the first floor is still empty and we kept the warehouse feel." Felicity's face darkened. "After seeing Nyssa, it's not exactly a lie. Besides, she should have an actual home, not just some stuff stashed in a corner of headquarters."

"I love you," Oliver kissed her softly. "So much."

John cleared his throat. "I'm just going to look around at some of the ah… improvements."

Felicity smiled and pulled away from Oliver. "Go on, take the tour," she encouraged. "I need to test the system anyway."

John and Oliver made walked away, heading toward the training area down the hall. Several minutes later she couldn't hold back her laughter when an incredulous John shouted in reaction to the attached bathroom.

"A hot tub!"

Laurel looked up from her computer at the quiet knock.

Thea stood in the doorway. "Someone has a visitor." Her voice was soft, cognizant of the possibility that Nyssa might be sleeping.

Laurel looked over and saw that Nyssa was both awake and as puzzled as her. "Who…" she began, only to stop as Thea stepped aside.

Quentin Lance held up a takeout bag and a tray of drinks.

"Dad!" Laurel said, closing the laptop and moving her feet from where they were propped on Nyssa's bed.

"Somebody told me that black and white milkshakes were your favorite," he said to Nyssa. "And that you might be well enough for company."

Laurel watched as Nyssa gave her father a dazzling smile, and felt her heart stutter.

Quentin winked at his daughter before placing his burdens down. He pulled items from one of the bags and began to fix Nyssa a plate. Setting burger, fries, and shake before her, he took the rest and walked over to sit next to Laurel. "I figured neither of you were eating much." He indicated the rest of the food.

"Thank you," Nyssa said, mouth full of shake and fries. "It's delicious."

Laurel leaned over and kissed her father's cheek. "Thanks Dad."

"Yeah, well," Quentin hedged. "You gotta eat. That one looks like she might blow away if you open the windows too far."

Nyssa smiled again and shoved a huge chunk of burger in her mouth.

Quentin stayed for an hour. He didn't ask questions or offer any snide comments, a fact for which Laurel was immensely grateful. He'd patted Nyssa's hand somewhat awkwardly as he left, giving her a gruff, "Get better, okay."

Laurel took note of Nyssa's heavy eyes and decided to walk her father out, hoping the other woman might fall asleep in the short time span.

"I'm really glad you came over," she said. "It's the most she's smiled… or eaten," Laurel tacked on, "since she's been here."

"I'm glad," Quentin nodded. He hesitated with one hand on the door of the apartment. "You know, I've seen you look at a lot of people over the years. The looks you give her," he shuffled his feet, "I haven't seen that before."

Laurel gave him a strange look. He couldn't possibly be saying what she thought he was saying.

"You outa do something about that before it eats you up inside." He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

A moment later and he was gone.

"Oh my god!" Laurel moan against the closed door. "Am I wearing some kind of a sign?"

"About your big gay love?" Thea asked from the couch. "It's not really a sign, more of a Nyssa shaped glow."

"I hate you all." Laurel stomped from the room, intent on drowning herself in the nearest shower.


	14. Chapter 14

Nyssa shifted on the couch, trying to stretch amongst the nest of pillows that Thea had declared necessary. Her ribs protested slightly at the movement, but for the most part her body was relatively pain free. Laurel and Thea had finally allowed her out of bed the day before, and though it was tiring, it made Nyssa feel more like herself to dress in actual clothes and leave the bedroom where she'd been sequestered for the past two weeks.

She flipped through one of the books Thea had given her. It had held her interest for a short time earlier, but she found it lacking now. Nyssa wondered if Laurel might be willing to bring some of the books from the loft. She'd been particularly enjoying _Little Women_ , although she was hesitant to admit that, even to herself. Somehow it seemed far too... innocent a choice for someone like herself.

"How do you feel about losing the last of your stitches?" Thea asked as she walked into the living room. She held up a medical tray and a pair of scissors still packaged in their sterilized baggie.

Nyssa shrugged.

Thea plopped down on the coffee table. "If we take out your stitches, it means you get to take a bath."

That had Nyssa's attention. She'd been getting daily sponge baths from the nurse, but the idea of being fully immersed, of actually feeling clean, sounded wonderful. "Yes, please," she answered Thea.

"I thought that might change things." Thea helped Nyssa ease her legs off the couch and offered her a hand. "Easy now," she instructed as Nyssa got to her feet.

They made their way slowly to the bedroom where Thea helped Nyssa lean against the bed. "Take off your pants," she said with a grin, wiggling her eyebrows for effect.

Nyssa rolled her eyes, but slid the leggings down to her knees before sitting down.

"Laurel's bringing you some more clothes," Thea said, snipping through the black thread on Nyssa's thigh. "She should be back by the time you finish your bath." Setting the scissors and used thread in the metal tray, she inspected the area. "It's going to be sore for a while yet," she used her fingers to gage the muscle around the wound. "But, it's healing nicely." Thea gave Nyssa's thigh a gentle pat before getting to her feet. "I'm going to start the water. Any preference on bubbles?"

"No," Nyssa answered before muttering to herself, "When did my life become so surreal?" She studied the jagged line along her thigh. It had healed much faster than she'd expected. Granted, she had a much higher level of care than she'd ever experienced. It wasn't every day that a League assassin, even the Demon's daughter, received what amounted to her own private hospital.

She eased the black leggings the rest of the way off and stood. There was no pain as she bent her knees in a deep squat, but the weakness was apparent. Her leg began to shake.

"So help me," Thea chastised from the doorway. "I can't leave you alone for a minute."

Nyssa stood from the squat, but it took an effort. "I was only testing the strength."

"The same way Laurel will be test the strength of her hand on both our asses if she finds out."

Nyssa flushed.

Thea laughed at Nyssa's reaction. "That came out a little dirtier than I meant." She put her shoulder under Nyssa's arm and walked the other woman into the bathroom. The tub was halfway full, bubbles covering the surface, as steaming water continued to flow from the tap.

"I can walk," Nyssa insisted, still a bit embarrassed by both Thea's comment and her own reaction to it.

"Maybe I just wanted a cuddle."

Nyssa rolled her eyes, but let Thea lead her to the tub and help her sit on the edge. "I can also undress myself," she bit out as Thea reached for the bottom of Nyssa's sweater.

"Really?" Thea asked. "Okay, lift your arms above your head." Thea stood, hands on hips, waiting.

After two unsuccessful attempts Nyssa scowled. "Fine," she said, letting Thea ease the oversized sweater over her head.

The binding around her ribs was next. Thea carefully studied the faint bruising on her torso. "I think we should try leaving this off tonight." She smirked. "Try not to sneeze. It'll hurt like a bitch."

Nyssa nodded, letting Thea help her into the tub. The water felt amazing.

"Do you need any help?" Thea asked with no trace of teasing.

"At the moment, no. However," Nyssa paused, she really hated having to ask for things, especially after all that Thea had done for her already. "I would like to wash my hair…" she trailed off.

Thea reached out and tweaked one of the locks in question. "You soak until you're nice and pruny. Then I will be happy to wash your hair for you." She stood. "Shout if you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen."

Nyssa groaned. Thea's cooking was a risky venture at best. She'd been forced into the role of taster on more than one unfortunate occasion.

"You set one oven on fire and everyone's a critic," Thea groused. She pulled the door closed behind her, leaving it open just a crack.

Nyssa leaned back and closed her eyes, smiling. She'd tried very hard not to love these people. She had failed utterly. Quite without realizing it, she found herself a member of this family, more so even than before she'd left.

Thea had become a sister to her in every way. She teased and cajoled with affection, and was fiercely protective in a way that touched Nyssa deeply. In Oliver she'd found a competitive older brother. They had been through a great deal together, and though Nyssa had not anticipated it, she trusted him in a way she did very few people.

Felicity radiated a kindness that Nyssa was unused to. She also mothered everyone with the delicacy of a hammer. And if Felicity was the hammer, John was the anvil. Stoic, unmoving, and utterly dependable. She'd understood him immediately, and taken comfort from his presence. Quentin Lance had a similar but more intense effect on her. His gruff demeanor poorly masked his loving nature. He doted. As she imagined all good fathers did. She felt lucky to be included in his concern.

Nyssa sighed.

And then there was Laurel.

She hadn't lied when she'd told Laurel that her time in Starling City was the happiest of her life. Nyssa's time with Sara had been filled with desperation and urgency. First love, sharp and pointed, like a knife. Sara had filled Nyssa with light when she had known only darkness. When she'd found Sara in Starling City she'd known that Sara had moved on. That she'd reconnected with Oliver. But she'd still hoped somehow that Sara might come back to her, that she'd find Nyssa worthy. That Sara hadn't had caused Nyssa great pain, but had in no way lessened her love for the other women.

Nyssa had thought Laurel weak when she'd first encountered her. Stupid, selfish, and weak, a mere shadow of the person her sister had been. Laurel was none of those things. She was honorable and brave and selfless. And beautiful and kind and fierce. Nyssa's mind continued to list Laurel's attributes.

They hadn't spent much time apart since Nyssa had awoken. Something had changed between them, but neither had spoken of it. Though her memories of her time as Merlyn's prisoner were unreliable at best, some parts were rather clear. She'd hallucinated the important people in her life. For strength, or courage, or even hope. But they had all come from within her. Including her conscious acknowledgement of her feelings for Laurel.

Nyssa had never been someone who allowed others to touch her. Sara had, to a point, but never casually. Never without reason or purpose. She'd woken to the feel of Laurel's hand on her own, and had found herself enjoying Laurel's physically affectionate nature, even seeking out such moments. Light brushes along her hair. A shoulder that leaned against her. Fingers that intertwined with her own.

She couldn't find it in herself to mind Laurel's touches. In fact, her mind was eager to supply new and exciting ways that Laurel could touch her.

Nyssa sunk farther down into the tub.

She had made no effort to hide her affection for Laurel. Her desire however, was a different beast. It was so very easy, lying in the warmth of the bath, to picture an equally warm body behind her. Nyssa could imagine the softness of Laurel breasts against her back, firm thighs on either side of her own, cradling her. It would be very easy for Laurel to trail lips down her neck and along her shoulder.

Nyssa's heart beat increased. She imagined turning, pressing her body into Laurel's. Straddling her and feeling Laurel's hands slide from her hips to her back. Kissing her.

Nyssa groaned. This was not a good idea. The idea of Thea walking in on her mid fantasy was decidedly uncomfortable. Forcing herself to sit up, Nyssa began to quickly and thoroughly wash.

Just in time, it appeared, as she heard a light knock on the partially open door, followed by footsteps.

"I don't know if I am suitably pruny yet or not, but I am most certainly ready for my hair to be washed," Nyssa said, turning to face Thea.

Instead, Nyssa looked into the startled green eyes of Laurel Lance.


	15. Chapter 15

Laurel closed the door to Thea's apartment with a bit more force than was necessary. She dropped her briefcase, duffle bag, and purse by the couch with a thud, and immediately kicked off her heels.

She'd driven to the Arrow loft after work, intent on picking up some of Nyssa's clothing, only to have Felicity deny her entry. Some story about wiring and servers, which made no sense to Laurel. No amount of reasoning had swayed the blonde hacker.

"You don't even live here anymore," Laurel had muttered to the speaker box outside the warehouse. So, she'd driven to her own apartment and ended up simply grabbing a handful of outfits she thought Nyssa might like.

She was tired, she was crabby, and mostly she was annoyed that she hadn't seen Nyssa all day.

The beeping of the smoke detector coming from the kitchen did nothing to improve her mood.

She rounded the corner to find Thea fanning smoke away from the oven door. "Need a hand?"

"Not one word," Thea growled.

"If I order dinner from Lin's can I tease you a little?"

"No, but could you go check on Nyssa for me?" Thea used a hot pad to pull a charred sheet pan from the stove. A lump of something unidentifiable rested on its surface. "I told her I'd help her with her hair."

"On it," Laurel said. "Try not to burn the house down."

"Ha ha," Thea tossed over her shoulder.

Laurel shrugged out of her jacket and snagged the duffle bag on her way to the bedroom. She was surprised when she didn't immediately see Nyssa. The bed was empty, but made, and the clothes she'd been wearing this morning were folded on the dresser.

A noise from the bathroom caught her attention. Seeing that the door was slightly ajar, Laurel tossed the bag on the bed and walked toward the bathroom. She knocked before pushing the door the rest of the way open.

She expected to find Nyssa struggling with a hair tie, a brush, or something similar. She did not expect to find a naked, wet, and soapy vision straight from her fantasies. Laurel knew that she should avert her eyes, turn around, and immediately exit the bathroom. Her body, however did not seem to want to acknowledge that message. Her gaze traveled over the softness of Nyssa's breasts, the freckles along her collarbone, her neck, flushed from the heat of the water.

Laurel heard the sound of Nyssa's voice, but the other woman might as well have been speaking Portuguese. Her mind had simply short circuited. Nyssa turned to look at her. Laurel needed to say something. She felt her mouth open, but no words came out. Finally in a desperate attempt to regain basic cognitive function Laurel was able to turn away from the sight before her and flee back out to the bedroom. Hand on her racing heart, she forced herself to take several breaths.

She was going to kill Thea.

"Laurel?" Nyssa's voice questioned. The sound of moving water followed.

"Shit," Laurel cursed. Nyssa was in no shape to get out of the bath herself. "Be right back," she called. "Do not get out of the tub!"

The bag on the bed drew her attention. She grabbed it and turned back to the bathroom. "You can do this," Laurel murmured. "No big deal." Feigning a confidence she in no way felt, Laurel marched back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. "I brought you some clothes," she said, holding up the bag and firmly not looking at Nyssa. "I couldn't get into the loft. Felicity is doing god knows what to it, so I hope you don't mind getting in my pants… wearing my pants… borrowing my clothes." Laurel snapped her mouth closed before she could do any more damage.

She set the bag on the vanity, next to a stack of towels.

"It was very kind of you," Nyssa said.

Laurel thought Nyssa's voice was a bit weird, and honestly couldn't blame her. She was acting like a total spaz. "Thea said you needed some help with your hair?" Laurel pushed forward.

"Thea said she might help me wash it, but it's unnecessary," Nyssa said. "You've already had a long day. It can wait."

The smallness in Nyssa's voice brought Laurel up short. She was behaving ridiculously. She was a grown woman, not some horny teenage boy. She had more self-control than this. She grabbed a towel. "I have had a long terrible day." Laurel turned and faced Nyssa. "How 'bout you let me tell you about it while I wash your hair?"

Nyssa still looked hesitant.

"Or I can go get Thea," Laurel said quickly. "She was trying to burn the kitchen down again. I'm sure she'd rather help you."

Nyssa laughed, pure and clear, breaking a bit of the tension.

Laurel felt an answering smile tug at her lips.

"I would hate to interrupt her arsonist activities," Nyssa said. "And I would really like to be clean."

Laurel tossed the towel down on the floor near the back of the tub, and proceeded to unbutton her silk dress shirt. Her only intention was to minimize the possible damage of splashing water. The lightweight cami underneath was far more suited to such a task. Setting the shirt safely aside, she couldn't help but notice the widening of Nyssa's eyes, or the quickness with which she faced away. Odd. "You okay?"

"Yes."

Laurel kneeled behind Nyssa. "Okay then." She reached for the pitcher that Thea must have placed earlier. "You might want to close your eyes." Nyssa complied, and Laurel dipped the pitcher into the water. She made a serious effort not to look at the body before her, barely covered by dissolving bubbles but was less than successful. Laurel tried not to groan. She really was going to kill Thea.

She eased Nyssa's head back and carefully poured the water. "Sit up for me," Laurel directed once Nyssa's hair was wet. She began to work shampoo into the dark locks, careful of the lingering tenderness from her concussion.

Nyssa's head fell forward limply. "That feels magnificent," she murmured.

Laurel smiled. "Good." She took her time, fingers sifting through every strand.

"Were you going to tell me about your day?" Nyssa's voice was soft, her eyes still closed.

"Mmm, well," Laurel started. Somehow her day didn't seem all that bleak currently. "I spent most of it catching up." She filled the pitcher, rinsing the shampoo out. "Paperwork mostly." Conditioner was next. The act of saturating each section of dark hair, feeling a bit like meditation. "I missed you," Laurel said, very much without meaning to.

Nyssa tensed under her hands, opened her eyes, and turned slightly to look at Laurel.

Laurel felt her face flame. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. _Stupid,_ she chastised herself. _Why did you say that?_

They continued to simply look at each other in silence, Laurel's hands still tangled in the ends of Nyssa's hair. After what seemed like eons, Nyssa gave the smallest of smiles and closed her eyes again.

"I missed you as well."

Laurel took a deep breath and willed her body to relax. Nyssa's response both pleased and discomfited her. Sometimes it actually felt as if Nyssa might return her feelings. Laurel bit her lip, she knew better, but a little spark of hope refused to die completely. She finished with the conditioner and once again rinsed Nyssa's hair.

After squeezing out the excess water, Laurel reached for a clean towel and wrapped it around Nyssa's head. Keeping her eyes firmly away from anything important, Laurel reached down and pulled the plug. Another towel acted as a barrier as she helped to lift Nyssa up and out onto the thick bathmat.

"I brought you some pajamas as well," Laurel said as she reached into the duffle bag and pulled out a pair of red plaid pants and matching top. She handed them over as Nyssa finished drying off, taking the towels from her hands and hanging them on a nearby rack.

Laurel turned her back and made a show of organizing the remaining clothes in the bag. Trying to give Nyssa what little privacy she could. It was one thing to help her injured friend from the bath tub, it was quite another to leer at her as she dressed.

"Hmm…" Nyssa grumbled after a minute.

Before she could think better of it, Laurel turned to see what Nyssa was displeased about. The problem was apparent. Laurel had failed to account for the one very distinct difference between herself and Nyssa's body. While the pants and shirt fit nicely along Nyssa's trim waist and abs, there was a four inch gap across her breasts between the button and its corresponding hole. The effect was rather eye-catching.

Nyssa looked at Laurel, the smallest of pouts on her face.

Laurel felt hysterical laughter creeping up on her, and wondered what she could have possibly done to deserve such torture. It really was too much. She put her head in her hands and heaved a huge sigh. "I just can't," she muttered.

"Laurel?"

Nyssa's voice was too close. She felt a hand rest against her bare arm.

"What is wrong?" Nyssa asked. "You're acting so odd." A pause. "Helping me has made you uncomfortable."

Laurel did laugh at that. She raised her head enough to look at Nyssa. "Everything about you makes me uncomfortable." Laurel's voice wavered with emotion.

Nyssa's face paled, her usually stoic features falling with hurt.

Laurel looked at the celling. She needed to leave. To walk out of the room before she said more, but she couldn't. This had been coming since before Nyssa had left. The woman deserved to know how idiotic her supposed friend really was. "That's what happens when you desperately want someone you can't have." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I'm doing my best to keep it to myself." Laurel clenched her fists and turned, intent on fleeing before Nyssa could tell her once again how much she loved Sara.

A firm hand grasp Laurel's elbow and spun her around.

"You want me?" Nyssa's voice was a whisper.

Laurel nodded, but refused to meet Nyssa's eyes. Hands moved to cup her face, forcing Laurel to meet her gaze.

"You make me uncomfortable as well." Nyssa leaned forward and brought their lips together.

It took Laurel several seconds to realize that Nyssa was actually kissing her. The shock did not last long. Keeping in mind the still fragile body before her, Laurel wrapped her arms around Nyssa, bringing their bodies together snugly and deepening the kiss.

Nyssa moaned against Laurel and tightened her grip.

Arousal shot through Laurel. Nyssa lightly bit down on her bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth and soothing it with her tongue. Laurel's fingers edged along the bottom of Nyssa's ill-fitting pajama top to play along smooth warm skin. Her hands spread out, slipping under the low slung waistband and palming Nyssa's hips.

Both women heard the opening of the bathroom door a moment too late.

"Dinner's here… er," Thea's voice trailed off as Laurel and Nyssa jumped apart. She blinked several times before gesturing vaguely in Nyssa's direction. "Ah, Nyssa."

Laurel looked over and realized that the pajama top, already an issue, was ridiculously askew and in danger of exposing all of Nyssa's assets. She stepped in front of Nyssa, blocking her from Thea's view, while she tried to fix the shirt. "Maybe you could give us a minute."

"Sure," Thea said, regaining her usual sass. "You know, there are door locks for a reason."

"Noted," Laurel said through gritted teeth.

"Anyway, dinner's ready." Thea skipped from the room.

Laurel rolled her eyes and reached into the duffle bag. "This might be a better option." She handed Nyssa a tank top.

Nyssa smiled and began unbuttoning the top.

Laurel turned away quickly, muttering, "This is going to be a long dinner."


	16. Chapter 16

Felicity yawned and scrolled through the newest batch of performance readouts. She fully realized that she might be overcompensating, but Merlyn's hack had truly shaken her. If it meant double and triple checking that her new system was secure, then so be it.

Oliver had disappeared with John at dusk - the two of them telling her that if they needed any eyes or ears they'd call. It made Felicity incredibly happy to see them rebuilding their relationship.

She had maybe another hour of work. Hopefully Thea had some type of edible food in her apartment. Felicity shuddered. Maybe it was best if she just grabbed takeout. She was already starving, and finding another charred and/or raw meal that she'd have to choke down in order to spare Thea's feelings was the last thing she was interested in.

Granted, she might already be done for the day, if she hadn't had to deal with Laurel and her determination to get inside the Arrow loft earlier. She'd half expected the other woman to try to force her way in. It hadn't come to that, thank goodness. Although in retrospect, Felicity supposed that it might have been a nice assessment of the building's new defenses. She thought about it for a moment. Perhaps she'd have Oliver try later.

Felicity was proud of all the upgrades she'd had done to the space, and was incredibly excited to show it to both Nyssa and Laurel. Part of her even hoped that it might be more than just one of them moving in soon. So, she wasn't about to let Laurel just swoop in and ruin her surprise. Not when she'd managed to keep it a secret so successfully. All she needed was to put a few last little touches in place.

Felicity was just finishing the last of the stress tests on her system when her cell began to vibrate. "So help me God," she muttered. "That woman gives new definition to the word stubborn." She picked up the call without looking and launched into part two of her of her 'reasons Laurel could not enter the Arrow loft' speech. "It's not happening Laurel. You are not getting in here tonight. Now why don't contemplate the advantages of Nyssa not having access to clothing."

An awkward clearing of a throat sounded over the line. Decidedly male and decidedly not Laurel.

Felicity pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the screen. Captain Lance. She felt a flush heat her cheeks. "We're going to pretend that didn't just happen, right?"

Quentin grunted. "For now," he agreed, "but between you and me and the fence post, I'm glad somebody is trying to light a fire under my kid."

Felicity smiled at that. "So, Captain, what can I do for you?"

The humor disappeared from Quentin's voice. "You know about the cemetery." It wasn't a question.

"I do," Felicity said, matching the seriousness of his tone. "I've been looking into it as well."

"Yeah, I figured. I got something I'd like you to take a look at."

Felicity paused, waiting him out. She'd discovered over time that the good Captain was never comfortable asking for help, least of all from her, or at least, who she represented. That he was contacting her meant something, but it was still best not to push.

"I got a picture," he continued. "Some kind of crazy bird guy. Owling is a thing, apparently. He's been going regularly to the cemetery to check out a nest and snapped a few shots of some guys who were making a ruckus. Timeline fits, but the pictures are crap and the techs are backed up."

"And I'm guessing they're not giving this case priority."

"Nope."

"Send me the pictures."

Felicity heard the sound of slow typing and could easily picture the older man hunched over his keyboard, two fingers hunting and pecking the correct keys.

"Sent," he said after a few minutes.

The shots were very dark, Felicity noticed as she pulled them up. "Why did this guy even have a camera if he's not going to use a night lens?" she asked, not expecting an answer. A few passes with her enhancement software tightened the pixels and lightened things up quite a bit, but still not enough to be readable. "Alright, let's get serious." She used a bit of 3D mapping to help isolate the figures from the background and pinpoint their location. "I can make out three suspects," she said to Quentin, "and they are undeniably at Sara's grave."

"Can you get me clean images? Enough to run a BOLO?"

"I'm hoping I can do better than that," Felicity said. "I can run facial recognition. I might be able to get you IDs." She upped the ratios and fed the new info into the national database.

"How long do you think…"Quentin's question was cut off by the beeping from Felicity's end.

"And we have a match," she said. "Bachelor number one is Leonard Snart, AKA Captain Cold. Really? Who comes up with a name like Captain Cold?" She shook her head. "Wanted for all kinds of bad things, mostly in Central City. Your birdwatcher is seriously lucky these guys didn't spot him. I'm sending you Snart's most recent mug shot and file."

"Got it," Quentin said a moment later. "Nasty piece of work."

"Bachelor number two isn't pinging anything yet other than the fashion police." Felicity eyed his outfit with distaste. "1995 called and wants its trench coat back, dude." The man was foregrounded and much clearer in all the photos. The computer was ticking happily away at comparisons for him.

"Can you give me a basic description?" Quentin asked.

"Um, six foot, maybe 175lbs. Ginger. Khaki trench coat."

"What about the third?"

"Three seems to be wearing a mask and maybe a tactical suit." Felicity clicked through a few more enhancements. "I might have to clean him up by hand." She focused in on him. There was something familiar about his stance, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Using predictive mapping she began trace the features of his face. She realized that it wasn't a mask, but more like some type of shield covering his eyes. She compensated for the glare and gasped. "Oh my God."

"Felicity?" Quentin questioned. "Did you get another hit?"

"We have a problem," she answered, staring at the image on her screen.

"If you can't get it, it's not the end of the world. You've already given me more than I had."

"No," Felicity's voice shook. "I don't need the software for suspect three. It's Ray Palmer."


	17. Chapter 17

Thea tried very hard not to smirk as Nyssa and Laurel walked across the living room to join her at the table. Perhaps, "very hard" was an exaggeration. She tried slightly not to smirk at the lovebirds she had caught mid make out in the bathroom.

She was less than successful.

Not that either of them noticed. They were so busy looking at each other, Thea was surprised they didn't trip over the furniture. The desire to tease them mercilessly was something she would have easily given in to not so long ago. Instead, she busied herself with setting out the various containers of food that made up their dinner. When she looked up next, Laurel and Nyssa were seated and trying very hard to look everywhere but at each other.

"So," Thea began, filling her plate from one container before passing it on to Nyssa, "how was your day?"

Laurel glared at her.

"What?" Thea protested. "I'm seriously asking. You seemed a bit stressed when you came in."

The hard stare continued, but softened just a bit.

"I mean, we can get back to that elephant if you really want to have that discussion."

"Elephant?" Nyssa asked, puzzled.

Thea turned to smile at Nyssa at the same time Laurel kicked her hard under the table. While she didn't visibly wince, her eyes widened slightly. Damn Laurel and her long legs.

"What exactly were you trying to cook, and I use that word loosely, tonight for dinner?" Laurel asked, changing the subject. "I couldn't identify it through the smoke."

"Low blow." It was Thea's turn to glare. "It was salmon. I found a recipe on Pinterest." She flicked a piece of water chestnut in Laurel's direction. "I think something is wrong with the oven."

"Definitely," Laurel agreed, before whispering, "Operator error," under her breath.

Nyssa snorted, immediately bringing her hand up to cover her face.

Her reaction only made Laurel and Thea burst into laughter as well. Soon all three had tears running down their cheeks, unable to catch a breath through the sheer funniness of the situation.

That was how Oliver and Felicity found them.

It only took a moment for Thea to realize that something was wrong. Felicity looked… crumpled. Like a piece of paper that had been formed into a ball then carefully straightened out. The creases were still apparent.

"Well look who showed up," Laurel said loudly upon noticing the blonde couple. "Notice how no one locked you out and kept you waiting on the sidewalk."

Felicity's face fell just a bit before her jaw clenched and a business-like façade shifted into place.

"There's news about Sara," Oliver said, effectively silencing the room.

Thea watched as the color drained from both Laurel and Nyssa's faces. "Care to be a little more specific," she said, giving her brother a pointed look. He really had zero tact sometimes.

Felicity reached into her bag and laid a handful of 8x10 photos on the table. "Captain Lance sent me some images earlier tonight. A possible witness around the time we think her body went missing. I was able to enhance them."

Laurel picked up a grainy close-up. "Is that who I think it is?"

Thea leaned over and gasped. "Ray?" She looked at Felicity, who nodded.

"There's something at work here that's bigger than we suspected," Oliver stated.

"Gee, ya think?" Laurel threw the picture back down.

Thea rested a hand on Laurel's shoulder.

"Who are the other men?" Nyssa asked, voice cold.

"The one in the hoodie is Leonard Snart," Felicity answered. "He's a thug out of Central City."

"I'm meeting with Barry later," Oliver added. "He's got some info."

"We don't know who the guy in the trench coat is. He didn't pop on any of the databases." Felicity's voice made it seem like this was a personal failure.

"If I didn't know better I'd swear Malcolm was behind this," Thea said.

"Well, even if he organized it, he didn't live to see it through," Oliver reassured her.

"You know this for certain?" Nyssa asked, deadly serious. "He has escaped death more times than I can count."

Oliver met Nyssa's eyes. "I watched him die moments before the fire consumed Nanda Parbat."

She nodded, accepting his word.

Oliver continued to stare at Nyssa. "Is there anyone who might want Sara's body? Anyone in the League?"

"No one for any reason I can fathom."

Oliver gave her a short nod in return. "I should go," he said. "Barry doesn't do waiting very well." He squeezed Felicity's shoulder as he walked by her toward the door. "Good luck," he said to the blonde before looking at the assembled women. "You are going to need it."

"Cryptic much?" Thea commented, but the closing of the door was her only answer.

Laurel, Thea, and Nyssa all turned to look at Felicity who fidgeted under their stares. "So, I've been doing some upgrades at the Arrow loft."

Silence.

"Which include some defensive enhancements. And since things are a little mysterious, Oliver and I both thought that maybe it would be better if everyone relocated there for a while."

"You seriously want us to spend the next however long just hanging out in a, no offence Nyssa, old half empty warehouse?" Thea asked, pacing. She knew it made her soft, but she liked her apartment with its memory foam mattress and great water pressure. "I mean, there's one bed Felicity, and as much as I know the lovebirds over there aren't going to mind, where are the rest of us supposed to sleep?"

"Well," Felicity hesitated, "that's the thing. I may have upgraded more than just the security and the systems." She folder her arms over her chest. "There are plenty of beds for everyone, and that's all I'm saying. The rest you can just see when we get there." She tapped her foot. "Go pack a bag. We're leaving in ten minutes."

Nyssa was the first to get up from the table.

Laurel followed, but took a detour to stalk up to Thea. "I will kill you later."

It might have been a more effective threat if Thea thought for a moment that Laurel meant it, or if the other woman hadn't still had a blush staining her cheeks.

Thea threw up her hands and huffed. "Fine." She turned and headed up the steps.

"There's a hot tub," Felicity called out, reaching for a pot sticker. "And a walk in shower that makes yours look like it belongs in an RV."

Thea tripped. She knew better than to doubt Felicity. She had no idea how she'd done it, but she was sure that the loft as she'd known it, was a thing of the past. "I'll be ready in five."


	18. Chapter 18

Nyssa stared out the car window as Felicity drove through the busy streets of Starling City. There were too many things fighting for attention in Nyssa's mind. Laurel had told her of the grave robbery shortly after she'd remained consistently conscious. Nyssa had always believed that the body was a vessel, a container for the far purer spirit. She had only visited Sara's grave once as a means of offering her condolences to Laurel. Now it seemed as if there might be more to it than a simple desecration of burial.

Wisps of thoughts and ideas not fully formed swam in her consciousness. The theft of Sara's body, the mysterious men, Oliver, Laurel – each battled to remain at the forefront before shifting away.

Thea's voice filled the car, pressing Felicity for more information in an ever evolving round of questions.

"How many bedrooms? Does it have a gym? Secret passageway? Come on, give me something."

Felicity didn't answer.

"Felicity," Thea's voice dropped to a quiet stage whisper. "Did you build us an Avengers Tower?"

"I am not Tony Stark."

"Of course not. Besides, everyone knows it's Pepper who's the real brains of the operation."

"Wait," Laurel interrupted from the seat next to Nyssa. "Shouldn't we have turned there?"

"That was the old way," Felicity said.

The car turned down an alley, and Nyssa found herself paying attention. A twenty foot slated chain link gate blocked their way. Felicity clicked a remote and the gate slide to the side. Once through, the gate closed behind them.

"Nice," Thea stated.

"Just wait." Felicity pressed the remote again as she pulled up to the unused loading dock of the warehouse. What looked like solid concrete slowly sank into the ground revealing a ramp large enough for Felicity's SUV.

"Shut. Up."

Nyssa had to agree with Thea. It was impressive. She looked at Laurel, whose face was equally shocked.

They drove into the underground garage and parked near a small elevator. Thea was the first out of the car. She hurried to the back hatch and collected everyone's bags.

"I can carry my own bag Thea," Laurel said as she got out of the backseat.

"Ok," Thea said. "You get the bags and I'll get Nyssa."

"Get the bags," Laurel growled, voice so low that Nyssa almost missed it.

"Happy to help," Thea laughed.

Laurel opened Nyssa's door and helped her out of the car. She winced slightly. She was overdue for her pain medication, and without the support of the wrapping on her ribs every step was a bit more intense. A supportive arm settled under her shoulder, making things easier.

Nyssa wasn't quite sure what to do with Laurel's protectiveness. It wasn't something she'd ever experienced before. It should have made her feel weak. That it didn't was deeply disturbing. There were many things about the older woman that left Nyssa unsettled, the feel of Laurel's lips under her own not the least among them.

"I'm sorry about Thea," Laurel said quietly. "About before, and about her comments."

"She is playful. She doesn't mean any actual harm." Nyssa quickly reassured Laurel, but studied her closely once they entered the elevator. Laurel stared at the floor, her posture rigid. A seed of doubt began to take root. What if Laurel was embarrassed by their kiss? Thea's teasing had been directed at her. But Laurel had said she wanted her - that had been very clear. Wanted but couldn't have.

The elevator doors opened at the fourth floor, ending Nyssa's trail of thoughts. Honestly she doubted that any of them had room inside their heads for anything other than the space laid out before them.

What had once been a five story warehouse was now very different. Most of the top floor was gone. In its place hung a wrought iron platform overlooking a large open kitchen and living area. Skylights lined a large section of ceiling, the twinkling of starts easily visible. Nyssa was certain that the sunlight during the day would be equally breathtaking. Where the basement below Verdant had been full of high tech and florescent lighting, the loft retained its natural brick and warmth. It was a beautiful transformation.

"Welcome to the Arrow loft," Felicity stated proudly. "I wanted to call it the Quiver, but Oliver said that was cheesy."

"Good call," Thea laughed. "But seriously, Felicity this place is amazing." Thea flopped onto one of the leather couches. "What's up there?" She pointed at the platform with a foot.

"That is the command center. Fully operational 3D satellite mapping, heads-up display readers, visual tracking, security system… all the bells and whistles." She grinned at Thea. "Nothing you need to touch quite yet."

"No worries there." Thea hopped up and began to poke around the kitchen.

"Try not to set anything on fire in there," Laurel called out.

"Ha ha. I would tell you to shut up…"

"If the smoke detector hadn't been going off when I arrived at your house tonight." Laurel smirked at Thea's rude gesture.

"Ok, separate tours," Felicity interceded. She pointed to a door on the left. "Thea, that's your room. Oliver and I are there." She pointed to the right most door. "Nyssa and Laurel are down one floor and the gym is below that."

"There's a gym?"

"See that pole?" Felicity pointed to a corner on the south wall.

Thea nodded.

"It connects to the roof access." Felicity had a moment to brace before Thea threw herself into her arms.

"I'm keeping you," the younger woman mumbled into Felicity's neck. "I don't care if you want to live at the beach."

Felicity hugged Thea back before stepping away. "Go check everything out, I'm going to show them downstairs and we'll all meet in the gym."

Thea gave her a quick salute before skipping over to her indicated room.

Felicity shook her head and indicated the elevator. "Shall we?"

Nyssa and Laurel followed in her wake.

"There's an interior staircase on the north wall," Felicity said as the doors closed. "Exits through the roof and garage, as well as the first floor, technically. It's still set to look like an empty warehouse."

The doors opened, and again Nyssa was left speechless. A large central space held a couch and several comfortable looking chairs, and along the surrounding walls stood bookshelves spanning floor to ceiling.

"I went ahead and got you a few more books," Felicity said with a smile for Nyssa.

"Me?" Nyssa was confused.

"We'll get to that." Felicity indicated the double doors on the right. "That's your room. Take a look."

Nyssa raised an eyebrow, but walked to the doors and opened them. The room was large, much larger than what she needed. Three of the walls were painted a soft gray, while the wall directly across was the original brick of the warehouse and held a good sized bed along its length. The frame was simple wood cut in clean lines with matching tables on either side. Laurel's quilt completed the idyllic scene.

"While the rest of us are staying here temporarily," Felicity said softly, "this is your home if you want it."

Nyssa felt tears gathering and tried to choke them back. She felt Laurel shift closer and reached out for the other woman's hand, squeezing tightly. "I do not possibly deserve this."

"Everyone deserves a home."

"But, I could not possibly ever…" Nyssa began.

Laurel ran a thumb over the top of Nyssa's hand. "Just accept it and say thank you. Can't you see how happy she is that she gets to surprise you?"

"Also a hug," Felicity added. "I'd like a hug."

Nyssa stepped forward and carefully placed her arms around Felicity. The blonde hacker laughed and contracted around her like a python. "I can't wait to tell Oliver that I got you to hug me."

Behind them, Laurel laughed and Nyssa could only shake her head.


	19. Chapter 19

Laurel tossed her bag on the bed and moved back out to the library while Felicity showed Nyssa the master bathroom. One look at the walk-in shower had been enough to turn her in the other direction. Bathrooms and Nyssa were apparently a hot button for Laurel. She really didn't need to factor in multiple shower heads and a bench.

Seriously. A bench. In the shower. As if her fantasies about Nyssa weren't already overwhelming.

The library was a much safer location. Laurel admired the serenity of the space. She could easily picture Nyssa curled up in one of the chairs reading. The shelves were beautiful; oak with a light finish that kept the interior room from feeling too dark. Her fingers ran over various titles, stopping on a familiar worn volume. She pulled _Little Women_ from the shelf and set it on a nearby table. Nyssa might enjoy rereading it later.

The loft felt like a home. The sweetness and care of Felicity's gift created a pulse of warmth inside Laurel. She prayed that it might be enough to keep in Starling City. That was a conversation they hadn't had yet – what Nyssa's intentions were. With Starling. With Team Arrow.

With Laurel.

Deep underneath all of Laurel's self-doubt and worry, she nurtured a tiny flame of hope that Nyssa might just be able to return her feelings. Their kiss had turned the flame into an inferno, but now Laurel felt it dying to embers once again. There was so much in the way. So many reasons why they couldn't possibly work out. She clenched her hands into fists as hopelessness threatened.

All of this was Sara's fault. If she hadn't died, Nyssa wouldn't have stayed. Laurel wouldn't have gotten to know her, and she wouldn't be in this situation. "Still screwing with my life," she muttered, but there was no real heat in it. In actuality, Laurel wondered what Sara might think about her feelings for Nyssa. If she'd approve, or be horrified.

The clicking of Felicity's heels on the wood floor heralded her appearance and interrupted Laurel's wallowing. "Please tell me you grabbed Nyssa's meds."

"Of course I did," Laurel smoothed her face and turned to face Felicity. "If anyone's going to know where the pills are it's the addict."

Felicity's face froze and Laurel realized that she really needed to dial back the sarcasm.

"Joking," she reassured Felicity. "Besides I never really liked Vicodin."

Felicity took a breath and gave Laurel a weak smile. "I didn't even think. Sometimes I forget. You're so together now."

"It's fine." Laurel waved away Felicity's concern. "I should have made her take a pill before we left Thea's." She pulled the bottle from her pocket and held it up.

"I'm going to show Thea the rest of the place and set up security for the night." Felicity hit the elevator button. "Let me know if you need anything."

"What, I don't get a tour of my room?" Laurel frowned. "Speaking of, where is my room?"

Felicity tilted her head to the side as if talking to someone not very smart. "Oh honey, In the last two weeks how many times have you slept at your apartment?" she asked. "Or slept anywhere that was more than ten feet away from our friend in there?"

"Don't start." Laurel knew exactly where she was heading with that question. Just because she felt better sleeping close to a still recovering Nyssa didn't give Felicity the right to shack them up. Nyssa deserved her privacy. "Never mind. I can totally sleep on the couch." It looked comfortable enough, and she'd definitely slept on worse.

"Feel free to sleep in there," Felicity pointed to a door across the library. "It's the fourth bedroom. But we both know you're going to check on Nyssa at least once and hour. Might as well save yourself the commute." Smirk firmly in place, she entered the elevator. "FYI, there are cameras in all the common areas. Tell your girlfriend."

The doors slid shut before Laurel could interrogate that further.

"She's not my god damn girlfriend!" Laurel yelled at the elevator. She slammed a fist against the metal door for good measure. "This is never going to work."

"Indeed?"

Laurel hadn't heard such coldness in Nyssa's voice in months. She turned to meet the other woman's gaze, and if she'd thought Nyssa's voice cold, her eyes were arctic. Still, she pressed on. "Felicity is a busy body, and I'm tired of it."

A raised eyebrow was Nyssa's only response.

Laurel cursed herself. Why was she never as calm and polished in real life as she was in a courtroom? "I'm sorry. She's just so annoying." Laurel ran a hand through her hair. "She just assumed that I was going to share your room. That's hardly fair."

"I would hate to deny you your privacy."

"That's not what I meant," Laurel argued, feeling her temper rise.

"I am not your god damn girlfriend. Things between us are never going to work. And you have no wish to share a room with me," Nyssa ticked off points on her fingers. "Seems rather straightforward to me. Forgetting, of course, about that little indiscretion earlier."

"There's a huge difference between Felicity butting in and us having an actual discussion."

"Which you've made no effort to have," Nyssa pointed out.

"Maybe if you hadn't run away on your suicide mission - after lying to me by the way - we might have had it already," Laurel raised her voice. "And It's not as if you're even available," Laurel snapped. "After all, I'm not your precious Sara."

Almost before the words were out of her mouth, Laurel regretted them. She took a step toward Nyssa only to watch the younger woman flee back into the master suite.

The doors slammed shut in her face seconds before she heard the bolt of the lock shoot home.

"Fuck," Laurel breathed.

I will not cry, Nyssa swore to herself, head pressed against the locked wooden doors. When had she become so weak, that mere words had her cowering behind doors, fighting tears?

She heard movement in the other room; the sound of Laurel's shoes approaching.

"Nyssa." Laurel's voice was just audible. "I'm sorry."

Nyssa had no response for Laurel. She believed her. But she was angry. When she'd heard Laurel's response to Felicity it hurt. Not so much the words, but the vehemence with which Laurel had denied a possible relationship. What had followed had not reassured her.

"You don't have to let me in," Laurel continued, "but I have your pills. I'll leave them on the floor here."

Movement sounded again, followed by the sound of the elevator doors opening and closing. Nyssa couldn't believe Laurel had actually left. It seemed incredibly out of character for the stubborn woman.

The snick of the lock receding was nearly silent. Ever so slowly Nyssa eased the door open and scanned the empty room. She frowned and looked down. The small bottle of pills sat atop a book. Crouching, Nyssa couldn't help but smile slightly when she saw the book Laurel had left for her. Such a gesture only confused her further.

Scooping up both pills and book, Nyssa retreated back into her room, shutting the doors, but deciding not to lock them. Her ribs ached, and so instead of crawling into bed, she walked to the bathroom and swallowed the pain medication.

Making her way back into the bedroom, Nyssa spotted the bag resting on the bed. She'd pulled on real pants, but had merely shrugged on a jacket over the borrowed tank top. It didn't matter that she was upset with Laurel, those plaid pants had bee the softest garment she'd ever experienced and she had every intention of keeping them.

The pants were not on top where Nyssa expected. She shifted the contents of the bag, shoving shirts, pants, and unmentionables aside. It occurred to her that Laurel must have packed both their clothing within the same duffle as she held up one of the other woman's lacey bras. An item that would never have accommodated Nyssa's bustier figure.

Finally, she elected to just upend the bag and dump the contents on the bed's surface. The illusive pants landed on top of the pile, along with a small wooden jewelry box than turned end over end before falling off the edge of the quilt onto the floor. She huffed, pulling the plaid pants from the pile and slipping into their warm comfort before doing anything else.

She repacked Laurel's clothing and moved the bag to the chair near the door. Wincing with the effort, Nyssa kneeled and reached under the bed, hunting for the box. Her hand ran across the rug, back and forth until finally she felt the edge. Snagging it with a fingertip and pulled the box toward her.

In its decent the small receptacle had opened. She glanced at the contents, already in the process of closing the lid. A small heart pendant, a cross, and an odd shaped ring lay within.

Her hands froze. Slowly she lifted the lid once again. There on the velvet lining lay the ring that had once been her father's. The one that should have been hers, but had been given to Oliver, and then Malcolm Merlyn.

It was the ring she had dreamt Sara had slid onto her hand.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the ring from the box. It was not a copy or fake. It was the ring of Ra's al Ghul.

How had Laurel come to possess it? Sara's visit had seemed so real. But then so had all of her hallucinations. Nyssa gripped the ring tightly, its sharp edges digging into her palm. Had it been taken from Merlyn upon his death. Questions swirled in her mind.

Rising to her feet Nyssa moved to the bed. Her head pounded with the effort; a combination of exhaustion or medication or both. She lay back against the pillows.

One hand continued to grip the ring while the other fisted in the soft cotton of the quilt beneath her.


	20. Chapter 20

Laurel pounded her fists against the swinging heavy bag before launching it to the right with a solid kick. She ducked the return swing and came around from the other side.

Felicity had done a nice job with the gym. She had found it easily enough on the floor directly below where she'd left Nyssa. Unfortunately, she'd also found it occupied. For once, Thea and Felicity hadn't peppered her with questions and innuendos. Either they were getting smarter, or the fact that Laurel hadn't bothered to do anything but kick off her shoes and slip on the fingerless padded gloves before launching into the bag had communicated her disinterest in conversation.

Felicity had wandered off after a few minutes; probably back to her precious computers, and for that, Laurel was glad. She felt infinitely less angry when she didn't continually catch glimpses of the pushy blonde hacker. Thea remained. Laurel could feel the younger woman's heavy gaze like a hand on her shoulder.

She hit until her arms were lead and her hips ached. She continued to hit the bag long after she should have stopped just to have something to do. Something that wasn't waiting for Nyssa to talk to her, or forgive her, or slam another door in her face. Something that wasn't bursting into tears at her own stupidity and insecurity.

"Felicity is going to be pissed if you break the bag on the first night." Thea's tone was light.

"Felicity can kiss my ass," Laurel bit out.

"Seriously, you're barely even landing punches at this point."

Laurel just hit the bag harder.

"This is bullshit," Thea said, pushing off the wall. "Obviously you're pissed about something. And since you're not upstairs playing doctor with our adorable former assassin, I'm guessing that she has something to do with it."

"Stay out of it, Thea."

"I'm not going to stay out of it. You're upset, and hurting yourself isn't going to help anything." Thea grabbed Laurel's arm before it could connect with the bag.

Laurel didn't thing about her actions. She spun and kicked Thea's feet out from under her before she even realized she was going to do it.

Thea lay there stunned for a moment, before rocking backward and propelling herself to her feet. "So that's how we're going to do this, huh?"

Laurel turned away, leaning against the bag. "Just leave me alone."

"So you can wallow in self-pity and brood? Whatever Edward." The sound of Thea's shoes hitting the floor echoed in the open room. "You want to punish yourself? Try hitting something that hits back."

"I'm not fighting you," Laurel said, turning back to scoff at Thea's idea of therapy, and stepping directly into the path of Thea's fist. She saw stars for a moment and felt the skin around her right eye immediately start to swell.

"Still don't want to fight?" Thea bounced from foot to foot, just out of arms reach.

Laurel rolled her neck and straightened. "If pissing me off was your goal, congratulations. I'm pissed."

"You were pissed before you got here." Thea winked. "So, who's face have you been picturing on that bag tonight?"

Laurel's only answer was a quick set of jabs that drove Thea back several feet.

"Definitely not Nyssa's," Thea continued, darting forward and clipping Laurel's shoulder. "You like her face too much."

"Are we talking or fighting?"

"I've always been a multitasker."

Laurel kicked out, catching Thea in the thigh and sending her off balance. Before she could follow up however, Thea rolled and put distance between them once again.

"Did she tell you you were a bad kisser?"

Laurel rolled her eyes.

"Is she a bad kisser?"

"Shut up about the kissing!" Laurel yelled. "We didn't fight about the kissing!"

"But you did fight." Thea gloated.

"Yes, we fought!" Laurel swung wildly, completely missing Thea. "I love her and it's never going to be enough."

"Get you head out of your ass. Sara wasn't perfect. She left Nyssa. She chose someone else! Sara's not your problem."

With a cry of frustration Laurel charged Thea, grabbing the smaller woman around the midsection and driving her into the floor. She managed to land one or two punches before Thea wrapped her legs around her and flipped them.

"Tell her how you feel, idiot." Thea pinned Laurel's arms and used her body weight to hold her legs against the floor. "Tell her about the video, about walking into hell to get her back."

Laurel struggled, but her already exhausted arms couldn't break Thea's grip.

"I saw that kiss. Do you really think Nyssa is the type of person who'd have a fling?" Thea shook her. "Do you?"

"No," Laurel whispered. She stopped trying to fight Thea's hold.

Thea smiled and released Laurel's arms. "What did you say to her?"

"Felicity called her my girlfriend."

"And you denied it." Thea shook her head.

"Emphatically." Laurel covered her face with her hands, wincing when she encountered tenderness around her eye. "Felicity was being snarky about where I was going to sleep, and I didn't want Nyssa to think that I just assumed we were going to sleep together. Especially after the kissing. And then things just spiraled and I lost my temper." Laurel thumped her head against the floor.

Crawling off Laurel, Thea shrugged. "She didn't leave. That's got to be a good sign." She reached down and hauled Laurel to her feet. "A hot shower and some sleep will make you feel better."

"And an ice pack," Laurel added. "I can't believe you sucker punched me in the face."

"In my defense," Thea said sheepishly, "I thought you would duck."

Nyssa woke with a start. Ears alert for any sounds that might be out of place, it took her mind several moments to realize that she was not in Thea's apartment, but in her new bedroom inside the loft. When no threats emerged, she took several breaths, forcing her body to relax.

She shivered slightly in the large room, feeling the chill of having fallen asleep on top of the covers. Sitting up, Nyssa glanced around, knowing she was alone, but feeling the need to confirm it. She had no idea of the time, but assumed it was late enough that the others had surely found their beds. Mostly Nyssa wondered if one person in particular had found a bed.

Before she consciously made a decision, Nyssa's feet were carrying her silently to the door.

A wall sconce cast a dim glow in the library, but revealed no occupants. Had Laurel left? Returned to her own apartment? Nyssa tapped her foot, she'd become so use to Laurel's presence. Yes, she was still quite angry with Laurel for her hurtful words earlier, the thought of her not being within the same space at night felt… unsettling.

Nyssa huffed, frustrated with herself, but unwilling to simply retreat back into her bedroom. She didn't believe Laurel had actually left and there were only so many places in the loft where she might be. It was an easy thing to search. Beginning with the room directly in front of her.

Her bare feet made little noise as she padded across the library. The doorknob turned easily in her hand. Not locked. She eased the door open and peeked inside. Nothing but darkness and the vague shapes of a bed and dresser met her eyes. She listened intently and heard no movement or the telltale sound of breathing. Disappointed, she began to close the door.

"Nyssa?"

She started and pushed the door open further. A sliver of light fell on the lower portion of the bed, revealing the shape of legs beneath blankets.

"Are you okay?" Laurel's voice was soft, laced with concern.

"Were you sleeping?" Nyssa avoided the question.

Laurel gave a sort of half laugh. "No."

Feeling like she was on display in the backlight doorway, Nyssa stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her, plunging them into darkness. "Why?"

"Too many thoughts," Laurel said after a moment.

Nyssa nodded, even though Laurel couldn't see her. She shifted closer to the bed. "I am still angry with you."

Laurel sighed. "You should be."

"But I also have found that I rest better when you are near." She waited. Laurel gave no form of protest or acceptance.

"Why do you think I'm not asleep?" Laurel finally spoke. "I've gotten used to your snoring. It soothes me."

"I do not snore," Nyssa clarified. "But if I did, I'm glad you would find such a thing soothing." She shivered slightly. Now that she was close enough, Nyssa could feel the body heat coming from Laurel. "May I sleep here?" She tried not to cringe at the weakness in her voice.

"Yes," Laurel said. The answer was followed by the sounds of movement and shifting of covers.

Nyssa took that as a cue and eagerly eased onto the bed and under the blankets. A sigh of contentment immediately escaped her lips as she was surrounded by warmth. She turned her face into the pillow which held traces of Laurel's shampoo and body heat. Under the covers she felt Laurel's hand reach out and grasp hers lightly. Nyssa squeezed back before rolling forward, laying her head on a firm shoulder, and tucking herself into Laurel's side.

"Nyssa." Laurel's voice was higher than normal. "I'm not wearing any clothes."

The silken skin under her fingers upheld the truth of that statement. She was careful not to stray to far to the north or south. "I had gathered that. Is that your habit?" she asked, making no effort to pull away.

"No, I'm a big fan of pajamas, but I left all my clothes in your room and I didn't want to disturb you."

The mention of clothing reminded Nyssa of the hidden ring. They had much to discuss, but it would wait until morning. "That was very considerate." She ran her fingers along Laurel's ribs, enjoying the way it made the other woman shutter. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Laurel choked. "Only in the good way."

Nyssa grinned sleepily into Laurel's shoulder and pulled her closer. Seconds later Laurel's hand moved to rest along her arm, successfully encircling Nyssa's body within her arms.


	21. Chapter 21

Laurel had never been a big fan of sharing her bed. As a child, she'd begrudgingly allowed Sara in after the occasional nightmare, but more often than not she'd retreated to the floor or living room couch at some point. After Oliver's disappearance, she'd never encouraged overnight guests, preferring to either go to their place, like with Tommy, or simply showing them the door, as with the handful of one-night-stands. The few times she'd been unable to avoid it, she gotten little to no sleep and begun the next day in a foul mood.

So, it was with a degree of surprise that when Laurel felt herself emerging into the land of consciousness from a deep and satisfying night of sleep it was to the slightly clingy koala bear hold of Nyssa Raatko. Though the room was mostly cloaked in darkness – Felicity had apparently thought exterior windows were a security issue – her internal clock was relatively certain that it was sometime around her normal waking hour. Laurel lay on her back, just as she'd been when Nyssa had cuddled into her side the night before. Nyssa however, had adjusted her position over the course of hours. One leg stretched along the length of Laurel's, while the other rested across Laurel's hips, effectively pinning her to the bed. Nyssa had shifted closer to the point where her torso rested more on Laurel than on the mattress below. Soft snores rose from Laurel's chest; the area Nyssa was currently using as a pillow. Laurel squeezed the other woman slightly tighter in her embrace and buried her nose in Nyssa's soft dark hair.

Waking up with Nyssa wrapped around her was better than Laurel had any right to expect, and she vowed to make it happen as often as possible for the foreseeable future.

She was just starting to drift off again when Nyssa stretched against her. Snores turned to little snuffles until finally Laurel felt Nyssa still completely. Knowing that Nyssa might bolt, she moved her hand lightly down Nyssa's back before dropping a soft kiss on her head. "Morning."

Nyssa raised her head and blinked at Laurel in the dim light. After a moment she laid it once again against Laurel's breast. "Did you sleep, or have you been laying here awake this whole time?"

Laurel chuckled. "I slept. Very well actually. I told you your snoring was soothing."

Nyssa snorted.

Laurel took a deep breath, not wanting to break the spell of this idyllic moment, but needing to address her comments from the night before. "I want you to be my girlfriend," she began.

Nyssa's body froze at the apparent non sequitur.

"And I was afraid to say that last night. To Felicity or to you. I wanted to share that amazing room that Felicity created for you. I wanted you to want me there. And I was terrified that you didn't." A tear slipped down Laurel's cheek, but she paid it no mind. Thea had told her to tell Nyssa exactly how she felt. She was trying. "I knew before you left, that I had feelings… beyond friendship for you. And I was content to keep them to myself. To be a great friend to you, because you deserve that."

Nyssa took a breath as if to answer, but Laurel pushed on.

"I knew you lied to me when you left," she stated flatly. "But I was too worried that it was because you'd somehow figured out how I felt to call you on it." She swallowed. "And then Merlyn sent the video, and all I could think was that it was my fault. That I had driven you away."

"No!" Nyssa's voice was hard as she shifted her body to hover above Laurel's. "You are not responsible for what happened to me. My hubris and Malcolm Merlyn are the only ones to blame."

Laurel felt new tears sliding down her cheeks into her hair. She raised her hands to cup Nyssa's face. "I'm sorry for what I said about Sara last night. I know what she means to you."

Nyssa smiled sadly before leaning down to place a kiss along Laurel's sternum. She relaxed and sank back down into her former position. "Sara had one mission when she returned to Starling."

"To hunt down Merlyn."

Nyssa nodded. "In return she would win her freedom from the League. Permanently."

Laurel had always suspected this. "She made a deal with your father."

"No. I suggested the deal to him, and he agreed."

Laurel frowned. "But…"

"Sara wanted to return to Starling City. To you and your father. To Oliver. So I helped her, because I loved her, and she deserved to be happy. Even if it wasn't with me."

Laurel had no response for that other than to hold Nyssa tighter.

"I saw her. When Merlyn held me prisoner in Nanda Parbat," Nyssa said after a while. "As well as Oliver and Thea."

Laurel knew that Nyssa had experienced hallucinations due to the drugs and injuries Merlyn had inflicted upon her, but they'd never spoken of them. Numerous questions wanted answers, but Laurel managed to keep silent.

"They called me an idiot, Oliver and Sara. And accused me of wanting to die. But they laughed too, like it was a joke." Nyssa's voice was hollow. "You appeared to me as well."

Laurel tried to hide her shock at that statement. While she knew she had no control over what Nyssa had hallucinated about her, Laurel hoped that it hadn't been equally horrible.

"Perfectly pristine, in your suit and heels." Nyssa moved her hand so that it rested over Laurel's heart. "You cried. You were so sad. And angry. And you called me a coward."

"So I was my usual charming self," Laurel tried to joke, but her voice cracked halfway through.

"You made me think about what might have happened if I had stayed in Starling City. About us. I've been thinking about it ever since."

"About us?" Laurel dared to ask.

"Mmhm," Nyssa agreed, rolling once again to hover over Laurel. "Last night you called me unavailable, and it is true."

Laurel's heart stopped.

"I am unavailable to everyone except you," Nyssa clarified.

Nyssa's kiss landed so gently against Laurel's lips that for a moment she thought she'd imagined it. The second was just as gentle, but lingered. The third found Laurel's bottom lip sucked within Nyssa's mouth and traced by an inquisitive tongue.

She'd imagined this for so long. Nyssa's words. Her body solid and alive above her. Laurel groaned and arched up against Nyssa, hands latching on to trim hips and bringing them down to rest against her own. Lips trailed down her neck, bringing goosebumps in their wake, a moment before a warm hand settled firmly over Laurel's left breast. She had a second or two to appreciate how wonderful it felt before Nyssa rolled away.

"I forgot," Nyssa panted from the other side of the bed. "That you weren't wearing clothes."

Laurel laughed, and reached over to turn on the bedside light. Nyssa's cheeks were flushed and she had a serious case of bedhead. Laurel had never seen her so beautiful. "Are you trying to protect my virtue?" she teased, purposefully letting the blankets stay pooled around her hips.

Whatever Nyssa's reason, her answer was cut off by the firm knock on the bedroom door.

"Seriously?" Laurel groaned, flopping back against the pillows. "If that's Thea, please do me a favor and just kill her."

Nyssa snickered and got out of the bed.

Her hand was already on the doorknob before Laurel realized her intent. "Wait," Laurel said, pulling the covers up to her neck, just as the door was opened.

Oliver stood gaping in the doorway.

Nyssa, also apparently surprised by the identity of their guest, immediately slammed the door in his face.

Laurel and Nyssa just stared at each other.

"Ooops," Nyssa finally commented.

Laurel threw a pillow at her. Which Nyssa promptly ducked.

A significantly quieter knock sounded. "Uh, if you could both come upstairs soon. We have some new intel."

Laurel couldn't recall the last time she'd heard Oliver's voice sound so uncomfortable. "Okay," Laurel shouted at the door. No answer was forthcoming, but the sound of hesitant footsteps retreating followed by the sound of the elevator doors assured them that Oliver had taken his leave. "That could have gone worse," Laurel said, wrapping the sheet around herself.

Nyssa looked sheepish. "I did think it was Thea."

"You could have been naked too." Laurel pulled the door open and walked through the library toward Nyssa's room.

"If I had been naked, I wouldn't have opened the door," Nyssa called out, following.

Laurel stopped and turned, letting the other woman get close enough to touch. "If you had been naked, I wouldn't have let you out of bed." She ran a finger down Nyssa's neck and along her cleavage.

Nyssa's mouth fell open slightly.

Laurel smirked and walked away. "I'm using your shower."


	22. Chapter 22

Thea's legs kicked the air from their position over the arm of the couch. She lay with her back flat against the cushions while her fingers flew over the screen of her phone. "Stupid honeycombs. I hate the honeycombs," she muttered.

"What level are you even on?" Felicity asked from the kitchen where she was making a second pot of coffee.

"None of your business."

Felicity chuckled. "You're only saying that because I'm probably a hundred levels above you."

"Hmmph," was Thea's only response.

The elevator doors opened, causing Thea to stretch up in order to see over the couch. Oliver had a strange look on his face; part wonder, part something else. He barely spared a look to Thea, before walking over to Felicity and whispering something into her ear.

The blonde hacker positively cackled in response before patting Oliver's cheek.

Dropping her legs to the floor, Thea sat up and faced the kitchen. "Weren't you supposed to bring Nyssa and Laurel up with you for some secret meeting?" she asked.

Oliver didn't turn and there was an unusual tone to his voice. "They're coming."

"That's what she said," Felicity snickered.

It took Thea a handful of seconds to put together Oliver's strange behavior with Felicity's amusement. "Shut up!" she shouted, jumping from the couch. "Did you totally catch them doing the dance with no pants?"

"No!" Oliver said. "Thank god, no." He put his head in his hands. "I'm hoping Laurel was just messing with me."

"She might have been messing with you," Felicity said, setting a cup of coffee in front of him, "but that doesn't mean that they weren't also tripping the light orgasmic."

Thea laughed out loud at Oliver's groan. "You had to suspect," Thea pointed out. "You've been watching them dance around each other the same as we have."

Oliver raised his head and looked straight at Thea. "Talk to me when your former girlfriend hooks up with your wife, who also happens to be the former girlfriend of your other former girlfriend."

"Don't forget that the first former girlfriend is the sister of the second," Felicity added helpfully.

Thea raised her coffee cup and clicked it against Felicity's in salute. "You have a rather stunning effect on women, Ollie."

Oliver glared at both of them. "Let me know when everyone gets here." He drained his coffee and headed to the bedroom.

"If you stumble upon any women in there, try not to turn them gay," Thea called after him. The slamming of the door was his only answer.

"It's kind of amazing he left us alone," Felicity remarked.

"Right?" Thea agreed.

"But I'm totally over that phase of my life."

Thea choked on her coffee.

"Kidding," Felicity smirked. "You are both such easy targets."

Thea cocked her head and gave Felicity a look. "Does it ever occur to you that you're the only one here who's not trained in combat and weapons?"

"Weapons shmeapons," Felicity argued. "You realize I can hack your Tumblr in thirty seconds, right?"

Thea's mouth dropped open in shock. "Harsh," she accused. She really didn't need Felicity poking around in her feed.

Felicity shrugged.

Nyssa was perched on the edge of the bed, waiting, when Laurel exited the bathroom. She held the wooden jewelry box in her hands, cradling it like a frightened bird that might burst into flight any moment. "It was not my intention to invade your privacy," Nyssa began, "but I am very curious as to how you came into possession of my father's ring." She was careful to keep her tone light and nonjudgmental.

Laurel sat next to Nyssa on the bed, but made no effort to take the box. "I've been meaning to talk to you about it, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up." Laurel took Nyssa's right hand gently in her own. "It's not really in my possession. I was holding it, or actually if I'm honest, I've been hiding it."

Nyssa raised an eyebrow, but didn't interrupt.

"After we brought you back to Starling City you were unconscious for almost a week."

Nyssa nodded. This was not new information.

Laurel squeezed her hand. "On the third day I found that ring on your finger. It hadn't been there before and no one outside of our team had been in or out. I didn't know what to do, or what it meant, so I hid it."

"You knew the ring?"

Laurel nodded. "I recognized it from when we were in the dungeons."

"Why didn't you tell me? Or even Oliver?" Again, there was no judgment in Nyssa's tone, only puzzlement. Laurel always wanted answers. It was hard to believe that the lawyer wouldn't have been driven crazy by the mysterious appearance of Ra's al Ghul's ring.

"Oliver and I weren't exactly in a friendly place." Laurel stood and paced. "I didn't invite him to help rescue you. When we got back to Starling, he tried to step in as if he was in charge."

"I can't imagine that sat well with you. Or John." Nyssa offered.

Laurel snorted. "He's convinced that you had a partner, someone who was working with you to take out Merlyn, and who was the one who killed him." Laurel knelt in front of Nyssa. "He wanted to use drugs to wake you up and question you. I refused to let him, and eventually he saw reason, but…"

"You were worried that the appearance of the ring would confirm his theory." Nyssa reached down and cupped Laurel's face. Her eyes were wide with unshed tears, and all it took was a soft look from Nyssa before they fell, leaving wet trails down her cheeks. "Did you not wonder the same? That I might have had an ally in my quest to kill Merlyn?"

Laurel shook her head. "You're too stubborn to ask for help."

"True enough," Nyssa said, bending down to place a light kiss on Laurel's forehead. "But I am curious. About both the ring and the reason for Oliver's suspicions."

"I'm still sorry. That you had to discover the ring. That I didn't tell you about it." Laurel rose and hastily wiped at the tear tracks.

Nyssa stood and grabbed Laurel by the hips. Her hands stilled Laurel's flight, settling at the small of the other woman's back. "You did what you thought would protect me, in a time when I could not protect myself. You rescued me from certain death after I placed myself in harm's way. You bring me hope." Nyssa leaned in and brought their lips together. "No apologies needed."

A great sigh of relief escaped Laurel before she stepped closer into the loose embrace and proceeded to lay her head against Nyssa's shoulder.

"I dreamed about it," Nyssa said quietly. "Or maybe hallucinated."

"About the ring?" Laurel's lips brushed against the side of Nyssa's neck.

"Mmhm," Nyssa confirmed. "Sara gave it to me. She told me to live my life."

Laurel raised her head. "Do you think you might actually be remembering?"

Nyssa gave her a startled look.

"Not that it was Sara," Laurel clarified. "What if your mind just filled that part in?"

"I suppose it's possible," Nyssa conceded, "but not very helpful."

"We'll figure it out."

Nyssa nodded and took a step back from Laurel. "We should go upstairs before Oliver decided to fetch us again."

"I seriously doubt that Oliver will set foot on this floor anytime soon," Laurel smirked. "Thanks to you."

"You are welcome."

Thea had given up her seat on the couch in order to riffle through the refrigerator. Felicity, it seemed, had decided to only stock healthy options, and Thea was one step away from declaring a mutiny and ordering a pizza. So what if it wasn't quite noon yet.

She grabbed an apple then began systematically rooting through cupboards in search of peanut butter. "If there isn't at least a jar of Jiff somewhere in this building, we're going to have a major problem."

"Pantry, second shelf from the bottom," Felicity supplied, walking out of the bedroom she shared with Oliver. "They're still not here?"

"John's here." Thea's voice was slightly muffled from within the pantry. "But Laurel and Nyssa? No sign yet."

"We may have to venture downstairs again," Felicity said with a frown.

"Not it!" Thea declared as she sliced her apple into a bowl that was filled with the found peanut butter. "We could send John. Just for fun."

Felicity seemed to be considering it when the sound of the elevator doors opening caused both women to turn. "Speak of the devils."

Laurel and Nyssa made their way to the counter, steps in synch in a way that made Thea long to comment. She managed to control herself enough to simply smile at the fact that they looked joined at the hip.

"Coffee?" Laurel asked Felicity.

"I'll make another pot," Felicity grumbled after pulling out the carafe and finding it almost empty. She glared at Thea.

"What?" Thea defended, apple slice hanging out of her mouth. "I didn't sleep well, and no one was out here, and it was there."

"Go tell your brother that everyone's here," Felicity shook her head, but there was a good deal of amusement in her eyes.

Thea set her bowl on the counter and shouted at the bedroom door, "Ollie, we're all here and ready for your big secret meeting!"

"I could have done that," Felicity pointed out.

"I figured when it comes to bedroom doors, better safe than sorry this morning." Thea grabbed her bowl and quickly skipped across the room to where John sat in order to avoid Felicity's swat.

"What's got you in such a feisty mood this morning?" John asked as she next to him.

She leaned close and whispered, "I beat Laurel in a fight last night, which made her reevaluate her whole situation with Nyssa, and now I think they're together, together."

John raised an eyebrow.

"That, and I didn't get much sleep and I've had an obscene amount of coffee."

John either didn't have a response to that, or didn't feel like voicing it as the others filled the seats around them.

Oliver was the last to sit. He didn't waste any time before launching in. "I met with Barry last night to try to find out more info about our suspects from the cemetery. They're part of a group that…" he paused, searching for the right words, "has a similar mission to ours, if a decidedly different makeup of team members."

"Suicide Squad," John said with a frown.

"Not exactly, but close. They call themselves the LoT. We don't know all their members, but it seems to be a grouping of both good and bad." Oliver looked at Felicity. "Ray was part of it."

"Where in their so called mission is stealing the body of my sister listed?" Laurel wanted to know.

Thea watched as Laurel and Nyssa seemed to move even closer together, their shoulders touching as they literally leaned on one another.

Oliver shifted, obviously uncomfortable. "They received information that Sara's grave was being used as one of ten nuclear ordinance sites throughout the city."

Stunned silence met this revelation.

"Malcolm Merlyn had an elaborate plot in place to nuke the city, They discovered it and stopped it." Oliver stated. "The LoT are the reason Starling City isn't a glowing mass of radioactive rubble."

Something clicked in Thea's mind. "They killed Merlyn."

Oliver nodded.

"Wait," Laurel interrupted. "They killed Merlyn. Were they there at the same time we were?"

"Slightly before," he said. "They were already gone by the time we got there."

"That's why there were hardly any League members," Laurel said to Thea. "They'd already taken them out. And in the mean time, they just left Nyssa to rot."

Oliver had no answer to that charge.

"Where is Sara's body now?" Nyssa asked quietly.

"Her remains were compromised from the radioactive exposure," Oliver said gently. "They cremated her."

Nyssa bowed her head in acceptance, while Laurel put an arm around her.

"Are they based out of Starling?" John asked. "I mean are we going to keep running into them and their missions. He didn't use air quotes around the word missions, but Thea could hear it in his tone.

"They're gone," Oliver said. "For the foreseeable future."

John nodded. "Good."

"I just wanted to keep everyone in the loop," Oliver said. "I'm going to have Felicity create a database so we can keep an eye on the LoT."

John pushed his chair back with a disgusted sigh. "Just another day in Starling."

Oliver held up a hand. "There was one other thing. Felicity and I have decided to stay in Starling City. This is our home." He gave a half smile, "And all of you are our family. And I'd really like to be part of Team Arrow."

"As long as you realize that I'm in charge," Thea said, straight-faced. "And I run a tight ship."

"Aye aye, captain," Oliver saluted.


	23. Chapter 23

Laurel was making tea and putting together a plate of fruit for her and Nyssa when she realized that the other woman was not longer in sight. Nyssa had been talking with Oliver and Thea the last time Laurel had looked, not even five minutes ago. Wiping her hands, Laurel walked out of the kitchen and back towards the large table where they'd met earlier.

Thea sat alone, phone in hand, playing some type of game.

"Have you seen Nyssa?"

"Her and Ollie were talking," Thea looked up, "over…" she indicated a corner of the room, now empty. "Mmhm? Well, they were over there. I don't know where they went."

Laurel frowned, but walked back to the kitchen. Now that Nyssa was on the mend, Laurel was really going to have to tamp down on her habit of knowing where Nyssa was 24/7. She took a deep breath, released it, and went back to putting together a snack.

Thea wondered over a few minutes later, and after making a cursory gesture of smacking her hands away from the plate, Laurel resigned herself to letting the younger woman eat her fill. She could always cut up more fruit once Nyssa returned. For now, she sipped her tea and watched over Thea's shoulder as she swiped across various gummy bears and jellybeans in her ever-evolving quest against Candy Crush.

It was another ten minutes or so before Nyssa reappeared, snaking an arm around Laurel to reach a slice of cantaloupe. There was a great deal of mischief in Nyssa's eyes as she plopped the ripe fruit into her mouth, and Laurel couldn't help but smile. With every piece Nyssa continued to reach around Laurel, drawing their bodies closer and closer together.

"Starting to feel like you two should get a room," Thea said without looking up from her game.

Nyssa leaned forward, propping her chin on Laurel's shoulder. "We have a room."

Laurel chuckled, unsure whether Nyssa was teasing Thea or being incredibly literal.

Thea seemed unsure as well, pausing her game and giving Nyssa a look before changing the subject. "What were you and Ollie all hush hush about?"

"The future Ra's of the League of Assassins."

Both Thea and Laurel's eyes widened in response.

"I'm sorry, what?" Thea put her phone down. "He just told us that he wanted to stay. Now he thinks he should go back to being the leader of the League?"

"Not him," Nyssa clarified. "Me."

Laurel felt as if a hand had squeezed all the oxygen out of her body. How could Nyssa be so casual about leaving again?

"Oliver argued that I am, for better or worse, the daughter of the Demon," Nyssa rationalized. "And that League members simply wandering around leaderless is a less than ideal situation."

"Thea, can you give us a minute?" Laurel's voice was deceptively calm. She could see the argument waiting to form on Thea's lips, but for some reason the younger woman thought better of it. Laurel waited until Thea had closed the bedroom door behind her before looking at Nyssa.

Nyssa met her gaze unflinchingly.

Laurel's first inclination was to walk away. To write this off as yet another failure, another reason why she should be alone. Her second was to shove everything down. To hide exactly how hurt Nyssa's plans made her feel. Then she remembered not knowing if Nyssa was alive. She pictured a slamming door. The warmth of Nyssa's body curled against her in sleep. And Laurel decided to make the grown up decision. For better or worse, she was going to tell Nyssa the truth.

Clenching her fists tightly to stop them from trembling, she looked Nyssa in the eye. "I want you to stay. I know that you've been training to replace your father for your entire life, and that this is not the future you imagined, but you have a place here on this team. In Starling."

"A place on the team?" Nyssa slid closer to Laurel. "Is that the only place I have?"

Laurel knew that Nyssa was pushing her, but was unsure as to what purpose. Laurel decided to leave Nyssa no doubts as to where she stood. "Your place is with me. Here or in Nanda Parbat. If you drag me halfway across the world to sit next to your thrown then fine, but I don't have to be happy about it."

Nyssa lunged forward and kissed Laurel. This was not the slow exploration of the morning, or the tentative realization of their first kiss. This was hard and messy. This was a claiming. "I told Oliver no," Nyssa gasped in between kisses. "I have the life that I want."


	24. Chapter 24

Oliver's boots thumped loudly as he landed heavily on the rooftop. Such a noise was unusual for him, and even as he noted it, he recognized its cause - he was furious.

Anger, like he hadn't experienced in years, sat in his chest like a hot coal. Once again, he found himself forced to make decisions based on what was best for his city, for his team, no matter what his personal conscience wanted. It was almost enough to drive him back into retirement. There were several reasons why Oliver had agreed to deal with the LoT. Barry was working closely with them, and Ray was a member. Oliver trusted both men. The Lot was working for good. They shared common enemies. And they wanted to remain anonymous. This more than the other reasons, swayed him. He had no desire to hurt members of his team, his family, yet again, and this was one secret he would do anything to keep.

It didn't mean he had to like it, but if it kept them out of Starling, his dislike was a small price to pay.

Gravel crunched lightly behind him. Oliver refused to give the other person the satisfaction of his attention. This meeting was pointless, and could have easily been conducted via message.

"She made her choice then?"

The leather of Oliver's gloves creaked with the effort needed to not draw his bow. "She stays in Starling City."

"Of her own free will? That was the deal, Oliver."

"Yes," he grunted.

"I realized that you are an honorable man, but perhaps it might be easier for me to believe you if you had the courtesy of looking me in the eye."

Oliver slowly turned, not bothering to hide his anger. "I told her that I was the one who'd left her the ring, and let her know that if she wanted to take over the League, that she would have my support." Each sentence brought Oliver closer to the man in the trench coat, the person responsible for his current situation – Rip Hunter. "She said no." Oliver used his heavier bulk to loom over the slighter man. "So that will be one less assassin to join your group of Legends. Now if we're done here, I'd appreciate it if you got the hell out of my city."

"Such a waste. Nyssa would have made a lovely addition to our little rag tag group. Perhaps if I…"

"She said no," another voice interrupted.

Oliver's head whipped to the side. He'd discovered the woman at the previous meeting, and if he was honest, it was her presence that had truly stoked his anger. He was within arm's reach of her before he was even aware of taking a step. "You were supposed to already be gone. I was clear about that."

The woman, who'd once been Sara Lance, shrugged. "I was curious."

"About what?"

"What she would choose. A year ago I wouldn't have had to wonder."

"How dare you," Oliver spit out. "You left her in that dungeon. After she'd come there to avenge you and nearly died for it."

"My mission was to kill Merlyn, not to rescue her."

"You can't even say her name." He'd seen the effects of the Lazarus Pitt on Thea. Watched as she'd struggled to maintain her humanity at first. She'd eventually adjusted, settled back into life, become herself again. The eyes Oliver looked into now were dead and cold. The spark that had been such and integral part of Sara was gone. This shell before him would never adjust, never become the woman she had been. The desire to strike out at her, to destroy this sickening wrongness was so strong that he had to back away.

He once again directed his attention to Hunter. "We had a deal. I lie to my people and cover up your mess. I offer Nyssa the League. She makes her choice." He glared at each of them in turn. "I upheld my end. You saved my city. We're done here."

Oliver didn't look back as he exited the roof the same way he'd arrived.

"Not that I disagree with how you handled that, but I'm curious as to why you let him think that you're just some stoic zombie," Rip asked once Oliver had departed.

Sara rolled her eyes and shoved her hands into the pockets of her white leather pants. "It's easier this way."

"For him, maybe. Not for you so much. I still don't understand why you even let him see you. He would have believed the radioactive body story. Which, by the way, totally not a complete fabrication. If we hadn't dug you up and reanimated you, the warhead Merlyn planted would have had you glowing in the dark."

"Actually, he wouldn't have. He's stubborn like that." Sara kicked a rock. "This way, I'm actually dead for him."

"And the rest of them?"

"How many times can I ask them to mourn me? To love me? This way I'm free and so are they."

Rip shook his head. "Whatever helps you sleep at night kid." He chucked her on the shoulder. "Come on, we've got work to do, and it's not in Starling City."

Nyssa lay against Laurel's chest. The soft thump of the other woman's heartbeat provided a soundtrack that was oddly in harmony with the fingers sifting through her hair. There had been no discussion or argument about sleeping arrangements this evening, and Nyssa found herself in the exact position she'd wanted to be in the previous night. The only downside, in her opinion, was the addition of pajamas for her lanky bedmate. She would have ample time in the coming nights to convince Laurel that such things were not strictly necessary.

"Felicity definitely upgraded you in the bed department. Memory foam beats futon any day of the week." Laurel wiggled slightly, settling deeper into the mattress and snuggling Nyssa closer. "Your old bed was like sleeping on an upholstered rock."

Nyssa raised her head and gave Laurel a questioning look. "And how exactly would you know what my futon was like?"

A blush rose from Laurel's chest to highlight her neck and cheeks. "I may have slept there once or twice while you were gone."

Touched by both the admission and the act, Nyssa smiled and placed a soft kiss on Laurel's lips before resting her head once again upon her chest.

"It helped a little. I missed you. And the pillows maybe…" Laurel's voice trailed off into mumbles.

"The pillows what?" Even presses as she was against Laurel, Nyssa had been unable to determine the last bit of what the other woman had said.

"The pillows still smelled like you," she clarified. "I'll admit it was slightly…" Laurel paused, "weird? Creepy? Borderline stalkerish?"

Nyssa snorted. "If we begin comparing actions, slightly weird and creepy will be the least of my questionable deeds." She sobered. "Does it worry you? My past?"

"No." Laurel's answer was firm, decisive.

"Perhaps it should." Nyssa felt Laurel's arms tighten around her. Such a tangible expression of Laurel's support gave her the courage to say more. "When I was a child, I believed that the way to earn my father's love was to become the perfect warrior. Eventually I impressed him enough to become his heir. And perhaps he did love me, in his own way, but it was never the love that I dreamed of. The kind your father has for you."

"Oh Nyssa," Laurel whispered, dropping a kiss on top of her head.

Nyssa was relieved when Laurel didn't say anything further, and forced herself to take several breaths before speaking again. "By the time I met Sara, I viewed love as weakness. Pointless. Falling in love with her changed me. She became a shining light, a beacon in my dark life. Perhaps because of that she felt stifled. Or maybe my father's displeasure was made known to her, but regardless of the cause, when Sara left the League, left me, I was once again plunged into darkness." She traced her fingers over a small imperfection in the weave of Laurel's shirt. "I've done many horrible things in my life. And I am difficult to love."

Laurel moved beneath her, and upon raising her head, Nyssa was shocked to realize that the other woman was laughing. Laurel held up a hand, indicating that she needed a moment to catch her breath.

Nyssa in no way understood what Laurel could have possibly found humorous, and was trying very hard to act as if she wasn't hurt.

"I'm so sorry," Laurel began, laughter still lingering in her tone. She reached down and cupped Nyssa's cheek. "But if you were any easier to love I'd spend most of my time fighting off your admirers. It's already a close thing with Felicity and Thea."

Nyssa tilted her head, "I don't understand."

Laurel smiled. "It shouldn't have taken me this long to say it. I love you Nyssa. I'm in love with you, and I have been for quite some time."

Nyssa scooted forward until her lips lips hovered above Laurel's. "I love you. Hayet albi enta."

Laurel reached up and pulled Nyssa down to her, fusing their lips together.

Nyssa sighed and let her body fall into Laurel's, connecting them from head to toe. And while she knew there would be many more discussions and complications, she also knew that her life was irrevocably tied to Laurel Lance. She smiled at the knowledge.


	25. Chapter 25

"Demon, I show three more bad guys approaching on your six."

As helpful as Nyssa usually found Felicity's voice in her ear, in this particular instance she tried not to roll her eyes. "I am aware," she grunted, kicking the assailant in front of her square in the chest and turning to face the approaching trio.

They'd made no effort to hide or quiet their approach. The one on the left was even so bold as to drag the edge of the baseball bat he carried along the chain-link fence that surrounded the alley. He received a tranquilizer bolt in the thigh from Nyssa's small crossbow. He dropped like a stone, bat clattering on the pavement.

The two remaining men saw their fallen comrade and rushed her.

Nyssa smiled as the first man's wild swing sailed over her head as she crouched and struck him in the groin with sharp jab. His high-pitched shriek told her that his desire to fight was quite gone. The last man before her hardly seemed worth the effort. His eye darted between the barely moving bodies littering the darkened alley and swallowed. His hands went to the knife hilt in his waistband, but before he had a chance to draw it Nyssa's boot landed heavily on his chin. She winced slightly as he hit the ground face first into a puddle of unidentifiable liquid.

"Nyssa! Watch out," Felicity shouted in her ear.

She turned to see the man she'd kicked in the chest, whom she'd assumed was unconscious, lurch toward her, knife in hand. Her brain moved quicker than her body. She could redirect, if not disarm. Time slowed. Nyssa watched the knife get closers, prepared herself for the shock of contact.

Contact that never came.

From the dark recess of the alley, a hurtling form emerged milliseconds before Nyssa's attacker could strike. A heavy baton landed on his wrist, breaking it and sending the knife careening away. A roundhouse punch along his chin spun him before gravity once again drug his now limp body to the ground.

"This," Laurel panted, "is why we work in pairs."

Nyssa knew Laurel couldn't see her raised eyebrow behind her mask, so she gave the other woman a wink. "It's not really my fault if you can't match my pace. Perhaps you should up your cardio."

Laurel moved closer, edging into Nyssa's personal space. "That's not what you said the other night, when you were trying to catch your breath."

The heat coming off Laurel made Nyssa lean closer, absorbing it and the heady smell of leather, adrenalin, and a fragrance that was uniquely Laurel. "Perhaps we could both use a workout." Nyssa's lips drew within a hairsbreadth of Laurel's.

"Um, guys," Felicity's slightly hesitant voice sounded in both their ears. "First, I'm going to remind you of the NSFW agreement we all made last week."

Nyssa dropped her head against Laurel's shoulder, groaning slightly. This was not the first time she'd completely forgotten that the blonde could hear, and thanks to her advanced 3D tech, see everything.

"And second," Felicity continued, "Speedy and Green Arrow are about to take the roof access, so you might want to cover the back door."

"We're ready," Laurel acknowledged, taking a step back from Nyssa and squeezing her supportively on the shoulder.

The sound of glass shattering and running feet approaching had them fully focused on their job a moment later, as they scooped up and neutralized the gang members exiting the warehouse.

Not even an hour later, briefcase in hand, looking every inch the dedicated Assistant District Attorney, Laurel ascended the steps to the police station. She'd starred jealously after Nyssa, Thea, and Oliver as they'd headed back to the Arrow loft, while she responded to her boss's texted instructions. Sometimes she really hated that he had a police scanner.

Laurel walked into her father's office and sat lightly on one of the rickety wooden chairs he liked to torture visitors with. "I heard you had a breakthrough in the human trafficking case earlier tonight. The DA asked me to drop off the deposition forms so we can get a jump on the hearings."

Quentin didn't bother looking up from his paperwork, but a somewhat unwilling smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "It's not enough that you practically giftwrap an entire gang, but now you're beating me at the paperwork too." His voice was quiet, careful not to be overheard. "Maybe I should just retire and let you break someone new in."

Laurel chuckled. "As if anyone could get you out of this office."

"Damn right. It's my office."

"And I've had a long day at work." Laurel rose and set the depositions on his desk.

"Don't 'work' so hard next time." He used his fingers to make air quotes. "You're not getting any younger."

"Thanks a lot." Laurel swatted him on the shoulder. "Be nice or I'll tell Nyssa not to bother making the baklava for desert tomorrow night."

Quentin's mouth dropped open in protest. "You don't look a day over twenty," he deadpanned.

"Your delivery needs work."

He shrugged, but leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you both at seven. And tell that daughter-in-law of mine that the pistachios are my favorite, not the walnuts."

Laurel rolled her eyes. "She knows. And she's not your daughter-in-law."

"The same way she wasn't your girlfriend." He wagged his eyebrows. "Why don't you get on that."

Laurel vowed to do a better job preventing her father and Felicity from spending time together. "See you tomorrow night, Dad."

Nyssa leaned back into the massaging spray of the shower. She had always been a proponent of baths. Nothing soothed and relaxed like the act of emerging oneself into hot fragrant water. Since establishing residence in the remodeled loft however, she'd changed allegiance.

Few household showers could boast ten separate programmable showerheads. Although Thea had hinted that Felicity and Oliver's bathroom might be even more extravagant. She wondered if Felicity might have some kind of water fetish. Whatever the motivating force behind it, Nyssa could only be grateful to the blonde's attention to detail.

Arms fully outstretched, Nyssa was unable to touch two walls at the same time. There was also a setting that turned the entire area into a modified steam room, complete with bench. She groaned, thinking about the bench and all the ways she'd like to spread her girlfriend out across its surface. Perhaps Felicity wasn't the only one with a water fetish.

Picking up the bar of rose scented soap that Laurel favored, Nyssa began lathering her body, spending more time than was truly necessary gliding over the globes of her breasts and now rock hard nipples. A heavy sigh escape escaped her. It really wasn't the same as having Laurel's long fingered hands trail over her body. She turned to face the pounding water, rinsing the soap from her body.

"Talk about leaving your audience wanting," Laurel's voice echoed against the stone tiles.

Nyssa smiled and turned to look at Laurel over her shoulder. She'd clearly been in the process of undressing upon entering the bathroom. Gone was the jacket and skirt of her suit, along with her heels and stockings. All that remained was a silk long sleeve dress-shirt barely covering Laurel's modesty. "You seemed to be overdressed."

"I was distracted." Laurel's fingers reached down, undoing one button then another, until they reached the tails of the shirt.

Nyssa had a moment to appreciated the pale stripe of skin revealed before the silk slid down Laurel's arms and pooled on the floor. Apparently Laurel had already discarded whatever panties she'd been wearing earlier in the day. That, or she'd forgone them altogether. Nyssa wasn't certain which scenario suited her more. All that remained was the barest wisp of lace encasing Laurel's breasts. Laurel's hands went behind her back to release the hooks just as Nyssa took the two steps needed to bring her into contact with the other woman.

Lips met, along with breasts and thighs. Nyssa buried her hands in Laurel's hair. "You are perfect," she murmured in between kisses. "So, very perfect."

The words seemed to please Laurel, if her reaction was any indication. Nyssa's feet left the ground as Laurel's hands each grabbed a firm cheek and lifted. She gasped as the cold tile of the shower met her back, but Laurel's warmth pressed against her front drove the shock from her mind.

Wrapping her legs securely around Laurel's waist, Nyssa luxuriated in the feel of so much smooth skin against her own. Without intending to she found her hips rocking slightly, trying to achieve some amount of friction.

Laurel's lips left Nyssa's to trail down her neck. "Someone's eager."

"Always for you." Nyssa let her head loll back against the wall. It was true. The mere sight of Laurel was usually enough to force Nyssa's mind off track, but a naked Laurel within reach – Nyssa became very focused. As good as this position felt, with the warmth of the water and Laurel, she wanted more. Dropping her legs once again to the ground, Nyssa forced Laurel back with a gentle shove. "I am decidedly more interested in having a soft bed beneath me as you fuck me into oblivion," Nyssa whispered before shutting off the water and exiting the shower. She threw a questioning glance over her shoulder, smirking at the haste with which Laurel belatedly followed.

Nyssa barely had enough time to wrap a towel loosely around herself before Laurel had once again lifted her from her feet and carried her the rest of the way to their bed.

Laurel woke with a smile on her face. She was warm, content, and slightly sore.

The good sore. The kind she had come to associate with nights spent making love to Nyssa Raatko. There was no halfway with her girlfriend. Laurel was certain she'd developed more muscle tone solely from their amorous activities.

After six months, they'd grown as a couple. Yes, there had been fights and disagreements. How could there not be? But they'd adjusted and settled even more firmly into a partnership.

Laurel thought of the box she'd given her father to hold on to. The delicate ring inside that she hoped would reside on Nyssa finger from this night on.

Nyssa shifted in her sleep, burying her nose further into Laurel's neck.

Laurel pulled Nyssa tighter against her body and allowed her eyes to close once again.


End file.
